Shloka 24
इन्द्रजिद्-लक्ष्मणयुद्धम्
Indrajit and Lakṣmaṇa: Escalation through Concealment
भीमस्त्वापततो राज्ञ: कोटिकास्यस्य सड़रे । सूतस्य नुदतो वाहान् क्षुरेणापाहरच्छिर:
bhīmas tv āpatato rājñaḥ koṭikāsyasya saṅgare | sūtasya nudato vāhān kṣureṇāpāharac chiraḥ ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: In the midst of battle, as King Koṭikāsya charged forward, Bhīma—seeing the charioteer urging on the horses—swiftly struck off the charioteer’s head with a razor-edged weapon. The act underscores Bhīma’s fierce, decisive style in war: disabling the enemy’s command and mobility by targeting the driver who directs the chariot’s force.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Within the ethics of battlefield duty, the verse highlights decisive action aimed at neutralizing an enemy’s operational power: by removing the charioteer who controls the horses, Bhīma cripples the opponent’s ability to fight effectively. It reflects the harsh pragmatics of kṣatriya warfare rather than a general moral ideal for ordinary life.
As King Koṭikāsya rushes into combat, his charioteer drives the horses forward. Bhīma responds by striking off the charioteer’s head with a razor-edged weapon, a tactical blow that disrupts the king’s chariot and momentum in the fight.