Shloka 46
तेनोत्सृष्टा चक्रयुक्ता शतघ्नी सम॑ सर्वाश्वितुरो5श्चाञज्जघान । ते जानुभिर्जगतीमन्वपद्यन् गतासवो निर्दशनाक्षिजिह्वा:,इसी समय घटोत्कचने एक शतषघ्नी छोड़ी, जिसमें पहिये लगे हुए थे। उस शतघ्नीने कर्णके चारों घोड़ोंको एक साथ ही मार डाला। उन घोड़ोंने प्राणशून्य होकर धरतीपर घुटने टेक दिये। उनके दाँत, नेत्र और जीभें बाहर निकल आयी थीं
sañjaya uvāca | tenotsṛṣṭā cakrayuktā śataghnī samaṁ sarvāśviturāś cāñjaghāna | te jānubhir jagatīm anvapadyan gatāsavo nirdśanākṣijihvāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Then Ghaṭotkaca hurled a wheel-fitted śataghnī, and with it he struck down all of Karṇa’s swift horses at once. Bereft of life, they collapsed to the earth upon their knees, with teeth, eyes, and tongues protruding—an image of war’s ruthless force and the swift reversal of fortune on the battlefield.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the harsh reality of war: power and advantage can shift instantly, and even the mighty are vulnerable. It also reflects the grim cost inherent in kṣatriya warfare, where success is pursued through decisive, often brutal, means.
Sañjaya reports that Ghaṭotkaca throws a wheel-mounted śataghnī and kills Karṇa’s four horses simultaneously. The dead horses collapse to the ground, described with graphic battlefield detail.