Shloka 22
Irāvān-nidhana-anantaraṃ Ghaṭotkaca-nādaḥ
After Irāvān’s fall: Ghaṭotkaca’s roar and the clash with Duryodhana
अथापरेण भल्ल्लेन धनुश्चिच्छेद मारिष । सारथिं चास्य समरे क्षिप्रहस्तो न््यपातयत्,आर्य! फिर दूसरे भललसे उसका धनुष काट दिया और अपने हाथोंकी फुर्ती दिखाते हुए समरमें उसके सारथिको भी मार गिराया
athāpareṇa bhallena dhanuś ciccheda māriṣa | sārathiṃ cāsya samare kṣiprahasto nyapātayat ||
Sañjaya berkata: Kemudian, dengan sebatang anak panah tajam yang lain, dia memutuskan busur lawannya, wahai tuan yang mulia. Dan, pantas tangannya di tengah pertempuran, dia turut menumbangkan sais kereta perang itu—memperlihatkan kemahiran tempur yang tegas di tengah tugas perang yang kelam.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh reality of kṣatriya warfare: skill and speed can decisively disable an opponent (by cutting the bow) and shift the battle’s balance (by felling the charioteer). Ethically, it reflects how, within the war-code, tactical acts are treated as duty-bound necessities even though they carry grave human cost.
Sañjaya reports that a warrior shoots another bhalla-arrow, severs the enemy’s bow, and then quickly strikes down the enemy’s charioteer in the midst of combat.