Shloka 38
Adhyāya 55: Pārtha–Rādheya Saṃvāda and Tactical Exchange
Chapter 55
तस्मिन् विद्धे महेष्वासे कर्णे सर्वास्त्रकोविदे | हताश्वसूते विरथे ततोडनीकमभज्यत,फिर उसके घोड़े और सारथिको भी यमलोक भेजकर रथहीन कर दिया। इस प्रकार सम्पूर्ण अस्त्रोंके ज्ञाता महाधनुर्धर सुप्रसिद्ध कर्णके घायल होने तथा उसके घोड़े, सारथि एवं रथके नष्ट हो जानेपर सारी सेनामें भगदड़ मच गयी
tasmin viddhe maheṣvāse karṇe sarvāstrakovide | hatāśvasūte virathe tato 'nīkam abhajyata ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana disse: Quando Karṇa, o grande arqueiro versado em todas as armas, foi atingido, e quando seus cavalos e seu cocheiro foram mortos, deixando-o sem carro, a formação de batalha se rompeu. Ao verem o célebre mestre das armas incapacitado e seu apoio destruído, as tropas perderam a coesão, e a debandada espalhou-se por todo o exército.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a practical ethical insight of warfare and governance: collective order depends heavily on key supports—leaders, logistics, and morale. When a renowned champion is disabled and his immediate supports (horses, charioteer, chariot) are destroyed, fear and confusion can spread rapidly, causing the wider force to collapse.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Karṇa, famed as a great archer and master of all weapons, is struck; his horses and charioteer are killed, leaving him without a chariot. As a result, the battle formation (anīka) breaks and the army falls into a rout.