Shloka 58
एवं त॑ विरथं कृत्वा सात्यकि: सत्यविक्रम: । जघान वृषसेनस्य त्रिसाहस्रान् महारथान्,इस प्रकार उसे रथहीन करके सत्यपराक्रमी सात्यकिने वृषसेनकी सेनाके तीन हजार विशाल रथोंको नष्ट कर दिया
evaṁ taṁ virathaṁ kṛtvā sātyakiḥ satyavikramaḥ | jaghāna vṛṣasenasyāḥ trisāhasrān mahārathān ||
Sañjaya said: Having thus stripped him of his chariot, Sātyaki—whose valor never proved false—then cut down three thousand great chariot-warriors belonging to Vṛṣasena’s force. The verse underscores the brutal momentum of battle: once a fighter is rendered chariotless and vulnerable, the victor’s prowess can rapidly turn into large-scale slaughter, raising the ethical tension between martial duty and the human cost of triumph.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ideal of steadfast martial prowess (satyavikrama) while simultaneously exposing the ethical strain of war: tactical advantage over a disarmed or chariotless opponent can escalate into mass killing, forcing reflection on duty versus compassion and the consequences of victory.
Sañjaya reports that Sātyaki first renders an opponent chariotless (viratha) and then proceeds to annihilate three thousand elite chariot-warriors from Vṛṣasena’s contingent, emphasizing Sātyaki’s overwhelming momentum on the battlefield.