Shloka 13
कर्णार्जुनसमागमः — The Karṇa–Arjuna Confrontation
Cosmic Spectatorship and Vows
रथैर्तताश्वसूतैश्व हतारोहैश्वन वाजिभि: । द्विरदैश्व॒ हतारोहैर्महामात्रैरहतद्विपै:
sañjaya uvāca |
rathair hatāśvasūtaiś ca hatārohāś ca vājibhiḥ |
dviradaiś ca hatārohā mahāmātrair ahatadvipaiḥ ||
Sañjaya disse: “No campo de batalha, ó rei, as flechas de Arjuna provocaram um morticínio terrível. Alguns carros ficaram ali, com os cavalos e os cocheiros mortos; noutros lugares, os cavaleiros foram abatidos. Em certos pontos, os cavaleiros de elefante foram mortos enquanto os grandes mahouts sobreviveram com seus elefantes; em outros, os próprios elefantes tombaram e os mahouts permaneceram vivos. Assim, pelas setas soltas de seu arco, muitos guerreiros de carro foram atingidos e caíram por terra.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the grim reality of war: even when fought as kṣatriya-duty, battle produces indiscriminate and uneven destruction—sometimes the mount survives while the rider dies, sometimes the reverse. It highlights the ethical tension between martial excellence and the human cost of violence.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Arjuna’s archery is causing chaotic devastation in the ranks: chariots are rendered useless by killing horses and charioteers, cavalry riders are cut down, and elephant units are disrupted with either riders or elephants being slain. Many warriors fall under the barrage of Arjuna’s arrows.