Shloka 59

Devanagari script

तस्याश्चांश्वतुरो हत्वा भीमसेनो महारथ: । सारथिं पातयामास सध्वजं सुपरिष्कृतम्‌

Transliteration

tasyāścāṃśvaturau hatvā bhīmaseno mahārathaḥ | sārathiṃ pātayāmāsa sadhvajaṃ supariṣkṛtam ||

Translation

ನಂತರ ಮಹಾರಥಿ ಭೀಮಸೇನನು ಅವನ ನಾಲ್ಕು ಕುದುರೆಗಳನ್ನು ಕೊಂದು, ಸುಂದರವಾಗಿ ಅಲಂಕರಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟ ಧ್ವಜসহಿತ ಸಾರಥಿಯನ್ನೂ ಕೆಳಗೆ ಬೀಳಿಸಿದನು।

Word by Word

तस्याःof her

चand

अंश्वतुरःthe horse-keepers / grooms

हत्वाhaving slain

भीमसेनःBhimasena

महारथःthe great chariot-warrior

सारथिम्the charioteer

पातयामासcaused to fall / felled

सध्वजम्together with the banner

सुपरिष्कृतम्well-adorned / well-equipped

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhīmasena (Bhīma)

horsemen/cavalry (aśvatura)

charioteer (sārathi)

banner/standard (dhvaja)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse reflects the hard demands of kṣatriya-dharma in war: victory often depends on disabling the enemy’s capacity to fight (cavalry, chariot-driver) and undermining their visible symbols of command and morale (the banner), even when those targets are not the principal warrior.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Bhīma first kills the enemy’s horsemen and then brings down the charioteer, also felling the chariot’s banner despite its fine decoration—an action that cripples the opponent’s chariot effectiveness and signals defeat.