Shloka 29
Duryodhana Seeks Droṇa’s Counsel; Imperative to Protect Jayadratha; Pāñcāla Assault on Duryodhana
ततो<स्य निशितैर्बाणै: सुमुक्तैरन््तकोपमै: । हयांश्वकार निर्देहानुभौ च पार्ष्णिसारथी,तदनन्तर अर्जुनने अच्छी तरह छोड़े हुए कालोपम तीखे बाणोंद्वारा दुर्योधनके चारों घोड़ों और दोनों पृष्ठ-रक्षकोंको मार डाला
tato 'sya niśitair bāṇaiḥ sumuktair antakopamaiḥ | hayāṃś cākāra nirdehān ubhau ca pārṣṇisārathī ||
Sañjaya said: Then Arjuna, with razor-sharp arrows well released and terrible as Death itself, struck down Duryodhana’s four horses and also the two rear-guards of the chariot (the protector at the back and the charioteer), leaving them lifeless. In the grim ethics of battlefield duty, this act aims at disabling the enemy’s mobility and protection rather than engaging in mere personal hatred—yet it also intensifies the inexorable violence of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh logic of kṣatriya warfare: victory often depends on disabling the opponent’s chariot—its horses and protective attendants—showing how strategy and duty can drive actions that are ethically weighty even when not motivated by personal malice.
Sañjaya narrates that Arjuna shoots exceptionally sharp, deadly arrows and kills Duryodhana’s four horses and two key chariot personnel (rear-guard/protector and charioteer), effectively crippling Duryodhana’s chariot in the battle.