Shloka 22
Irāvān-nidhana-anantaraṃ Ghaṭotkaca-nādaḥ
After Irāvān’s fall: Ghaṭotkaca’s roar and the clash with Duryodhana
अथापरेण भल्ल्लेन धनुश्चिच्छेद मारिष । सारथिं चास्य समरे क्षिप्रहस्तो न््यपातयत्,आर्य! फिर दूसरे भललसे उसका धनुष काट दिया और अपने हाथोंकी फुर्ती दिखाते हुए समरमें उसके सारथिको भी मार गिराया
athāpareṇa bhallena dhanuś ciccheda māriṣa | sārathiṃ cāsya samare kṣiprahasto nyapātayat ||
अथापरेण भल्लेन धनुश्चिच्छेद मारिष; सारथिं चास्य समरे क्षिप्रहस्तो न्यपातयत्।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh reality of kṣatriya warfare: skill and speed can decisively disable an opponent (by cutting the bow) and shift the battle’s balance (by felling the charioteer). Ethically, it reflects how, within the war-code, tactical acts are treated as duty-bound necessities even though they carry grave human cost.
Sañjaya reports that a warrior shoots another bhalla-arrow, severs the enemy’s bow, and then quickly strikes down the enemy’s charioteer in the midst of combat.