Shloka 24
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)
स तया निहतो राजन् कालिड्रतनयो रथात्
sa tayā nihato rājan kāliḍratanayo rathāt
Sañjaya disse: “Ó rei, atingido e derrubado por ela, o filho de Kāliḍrata caiu de seu carro—mais uma vida ceifada no ímpeto implacável da batalha, onde o valor e o destino rapidamente subvertem o orgulho mundano.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the fragility of life and status in war: even a chariot-warrior can be instantly brought down. It implicitly reflects the Mahābhārata’s ethical tension—kṣatriya duty demands combat, yet the human cost is immediate and irreversible.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a warrior identified as the son of Kāliḍrata has been struck down by a female combatant (“by her”) and has fallen from his chariot, marking a decisive moment in the ongoing battle description.