Shloka 573
भीमसेन-धृष्टद्युम्नयोर्वाक्यं
Bhīmasena and Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s Speeches on Kṣātra-Dharma
सारथिं च गदा गुर्वी ममर्दास्य रथं पुन: । युद्धस्थलमें उस भारी गदाने सहसा आपके पुत्रके चारों घोड़ों, सारथि और रथका भी मर्दन कर दिया
sārathiṁ ca gadā gurvī mamardāsya rathaṁ punaḥ |
Sañjaya said: With a massive mace he again crushed the charioteer and smashed that chariot. In the fury of battle, the blow did not stop at the warrior alone; it struck the very supports of combat—horses, driver, and vehicle—showing how war’s violence rapidly spreads beyond a single target and destroys the means of life and duty alike.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how battlefield rage can obliterate not only the intended opponent but also the enabling supports—driver and chariot—illustrating the ethical tragedy of war where destruction expands beyond a single combatant.
Sañjaya reports that a warrior, wielding a heavy mace, strikes again and crushes the charioteer and smashes the chariot (contextually, that of ‘your son’/his side), intensifying the chaos and losses in the Drona Parva battle.