Shloka 43
सतुतंविरथं कृत्वा स्मयन्नत्यन्तवैरिणम्
satutam virathaṃ kṛtvā smayann atyantavairiṇam
Sañjaya said: Having rendered him chariotless, he smiled at that most implacable foe—an act that, in the harsh ethics of battle, signals both mastery and a deliberate humiliation of an enemy whose hostility had reached its extreme.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The line highlights a battlefield ethic where stripping an opponent of his chariot signifies dominance; the smile underscores the psychological dimension of war—victory is not only physical but also moral and emotional, raising questions about restraint and dignity even amid justified combat.
Sañjaya reports that a warrior has been made chariotless (viratha), and the victor smiles at his fiercest enemy—indicating a turning point in the duel where one side gains a clear advantage and asserts it openly.