Shloka 23
भीमसेनस्य कौरवसुतवधः तथा श्रुतर्वावधः
Slaying of Kaurava princes and the fall of Śrutarvā
ततो दुर्योधनो राजा पृष्ठमारुह्म वाजिन: । अपाक्रामद्धतरथो नातिदूरमरिंदम:,इस प्रकार रथके नष्ट हो जानेपर शत्रुदमन राजा दुर्योधन एक घोड़ेकी पीठपर सवार हो वहाँसे कुछ दूर हट गया
tato duryodhano rājā pṛṣṭham āruhya vājinaḥ | apākrāmad dhataratho nātidūram arindamaḥ ||
Disse Sañjaya: Então o rei Duryodhana — com sua carruagem destruída — montou no dorso de um cavalo e retirou-se daquele lugar, sem ir muito longe. O momento assinala uma retirada tática em meio ao caos da batalha, mostrando como até um soberano orgulhoso deve ceder às circunstâncias quando perde os meios de lutar.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the realism of dharma in war: valor is praised, yet prudence is necessary. When the chariot—symbol of martial capacity and royal display—is lost, the king adapts and withdraws, illustrating that survival and regrouping can be a legitimate tactical choice even for one styled 'enemy-tamer.'
After Duryodhana’s chariot has been destroyed, he mounts a horse and retreats a short distance from the immediate danger, indicating a brief withdrawal rather than a complete flight from the battlefield.