Shloka 24
भीमसेनस्य वेगाभिपातः—विशोकसारथिसंवादश्च
Bhīma’s surge and dialogue with charioteer Viśoka
सारथिं पातयामास शैनेयस्य रथाद् द्रुतम् धनुष कट जानेपर शक्तिशालियोंमें श्रेष्ठ अश्वत्थामाने शक्ति चलाकर शिनिपौत्र सात्यकिके सारथिको शीघ्र ही रथसे नीचे गिरा दिया |। २३ इ ।। अथान्यद् धनुरादाय द्रोणपुत्र: प्रतापवान्
sārathiṁ pātayāmāsa śaineyasya rathād drutam | śaktīśāliṣu śreṣṭho 'śvatthāmā śaktiṁ calayitvā śinipautra-sātyakeḥ sārathiṁ śīghraṁ rathān nipātayāmāsa || athānyad dhanuḥ ādāya droṇaputraḥ pratāpavān ||
Disse Sañjaya: Aśvatthāmā, o mais eminente entre os poderosos manejadores de armas, arremessou rapidamente uma lança e derrubou do carro o cocheiro de Śaineya (Sātyaki). Em seguida, o valente filho de Droṇa tomou outro arco e apertou ainda mais o ataque.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how war rapidly erodes moral boundaries: even those who enable combat (like charioteers) can become targets, showing the ethical pressure and escalation inherent in battlefield conflict.
Sañjaya reports that Ashvatthāmā hurls a spear and knocks down Sātyaki’s charioteer from the chariot, and then Ashvatthāmā takes up another bow to continue fighting.