Shloka 16
स भग्नहयचक्राक्षाद् विशीर्णध्वजकूबरात् । उत्पपात रथात् तूर्ण मायामास्थाय राक्षसीम्,जिसके घोड़े, पहिये और धुरे नष्ट हो गये थे, ध्वज और कूबर बिखर गये थे, उस रथसे अलायुध राक्षसी मायाका आश्रय लेकर तुरंत ही ऊपरको उड़ गया
sa bhagnahayacakrākṣād viśīrṇadhvajakūbarāt | utpapāta rathāt tūrṇaṃ māyām āsthāya rākṣasīm ||
Sañjaya said: When his chariot had been ruined—its horses, wheels, and axle broken, and its banner and yoke shattered—Alāyudha swiftly leapt up from it, taking refuge in a rākṣasa’s illusory power. The scene underscores how, amid the collapse of martial supports, one may turn to deception and sorcery rather than steadfast valor, revealing the moral contrast between righteous combat and reliance on delusive means.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical contrast: when conventional martial strength collapses, a rākṣasa-like warrior may resort to māyā (deceptive illusion) to survive or continue fighting. In the Mahābhārata’s moral landscape, such reliance on delusion is often set against ideals of straightforward valor and dharmic conduct in battle.
Alāyudha’s chariot is wrecked—horses, wheels, and axle destroyed, banner and yoke scattered—so he quickly abandons it and springs upward, employing rākṣasa-style magical illusion (māyā) as a means of escape or tactical advantage.