Shloka 40
अध्याय ५३ — रणमेघोपमा सेना-वर्णना तथा सुषेण-वधोत्तर प्रतिक्रिया
Battle-as-Storm Imagery and the Aftermath of Suṣeṇa’s Fall
सारथिं चास्य तरसा प्राहिणोद् यमसादनम् | भल्लेन शितधारेण स हत: प्रापतद् रथात्,रणभूमिमें उस दुर्जय शस्त्रवर्षाकों रोकी गयी देख धृष्टद्युम्नने कृतवर्मापर आक्रमण करके उसे आगे बढ़नेसे रोक दिया और उसके सारथिको तीखी धारवाले भल्लसे वेगपूर्वक मारकर यमलोक भेज दिया। मारा गया सारथि रथसे नीचे गिर पड़ा
sārathiṁ cāsya tarasā prāhiṇod yamasādanam | bhallena śitadhāreṇa sa hataḥ prāpatad rathāt |
Sañjaya disse: Com ímpeto veloz, ele enviou o cocheiro daquele homem à morada de Yama, atingindo-o com um bhalla de lâmina afiada. Morto, o cocheiro caiu do carro para o campo de batalha—um golpe que detém o avanço do adversário ao cortar o controle e a mobilidade em meio à ética implacável da guerra.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the stark reality of war: death is ever-present and is poetically framed as being sent to Yama’s realm. It also reflects battlefield pragmatism—disabling an enemy’s chariot by killing the charioteer—within the harsh framework of kṣatriya conduct.
In the midst of combat, a warrior strikes the opponent’s charioteer with a sharp bhalla, killing him. The charioteer then falls from the chariot onto the battlefield, effectively checking the opponent’s movement and momentum.