Shloka 26
विन्दं तु निहतं दृष्टवा हानुविन्द: प्रतापवान् | हताश्व॑ रथमुत्सृज्य गदां गृह्दु महाबल:
vindaṁ tu nihataṁ dṛṣṭvā hānuvindaḥ pratāpavān | hatāśvaṁ ratham utsṛjya gadāṁ gṛhṇan mahābalaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Seeing Vinda slain, the valiant and mighty Hānuvinda, his chariot’s horses killed, abandoned the chariot and seized his mace—driven by grief and resolve to continue the fight. The verse highlights how kinship-loss in war quickly turns into renewed violence, showing the tragic momentum of battle where personal sorrow becomes martial retaliation.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the war-ethic of the kṣatriya: even amid personal loss, a warrior is expected to stand firm and continue the fight. At the same time, it implicitly reveals the moral tragedy of war—grief does not end violence but often fuels further retaliation.
After Vinda is seen slain, Hānuvinda reacts immediately. With his chariot rendered useless because its horses are killed, he abandons it and arms himself with a mace, preparing to continue combat on foot.