Shloka 21
हताश्वा हतसूताश्च निश्चेष्टा रथिनो हता:
hatāśvā hatasūtāś ca niśceṣṭā rathino hatāḥ
Sañjaya said: Their horses were slain, their charioteers were killed, and the chariot-warriors—struck down—lay motionless. The scene underscores the brutal unraveling of martial order in battle, where the fall of support (horses and driver) renders even the mighty powerless, revealing the stark ethical cost of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how quickly power collapses in war: when the supporting elements of a warrior’s role (horses and charioteer) are destroyed, even renowned fighters become helpless. Ethically, it points to the dehumanizing momentum of battle and the heavy cost borne by all ranks, not only the famed heroes.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the battlefield aftermath: chariots are disabled because horses and charioteers have been killed, and the chariot-warriors themselves lie slain or inert, indicating a severe rout or a devastating phase of combat.