Shloka 13

Chapter 136: Pandava Counter-Encirclement and the Vāyavya-Astra Disruption

Devanagari script

हताश्वसूतमुत्सूज्य सरथं पतितध्वजम्‌

Transliteration

hatāśvasūtam utsṛjya sarathaṁ patitadhvajam

Translation

Sañjaya said: Abandoning the chariot whose horses and charioteer had been slain—though the vehicle itself still stood with its fittings—(he left) that chariot, now rendered dishonoured and ineffective, its banner fallen. The line underscores a battlefield ethic: when the means of combat is broken and its protectors are dead, a warrior must withdraw from that ruined conveyance rather than cling to a symbol emptied of function and dignity.

Word by Word

• हताश्वसूतम्: the slain charioteer
• हताश्वसूतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हत + अश्वसूत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उत्सृज्य: having abandoned/left
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + सृज्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada

• सरथम्: with (his) chariot
• सरथम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-रथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पतितध्वजम्: whose banner has fallen
• पतितध्वजम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतित + ध्वज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• chariot (ratha)
• horses (aśva)
• charioteer (sūta)
• banner/standard (dhvaja)