Shloka 13

Devanagari script

हताश्वसूतमुत्सूज्य सरथं पतितध्वजम्‌

Transliteration

hatāśvasūtam utsṛjya sarathaṁ patitadhvajam

Translation

हताश्वसूतमुत्सृज्य सरथं पतितध्वजम् ।

Word by Word

• हताश्वसूतम्: the slain charioteer
• हताश्वसूतम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: हत + अश्वसूत
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• उत्सृज्य: having abandoned/left
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + सृज्
• Form: Absolutive (Gerund), Parasmaipada

• सरथम्: with (his) chariot
• सरथम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स-रथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पतितध्वजम्: whose banner has fallen
• पतितध्वजम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पतित + ध्वज
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• chariot (ratha)
• horses (aśva)
• charioteer (sūta)
• banner/standard (dhvaja)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a practical and ethical point of kṣatriya conduct: when one’s chariot is effectively neutralized—its horses and charioteer slain and its banner fallen—continuing to rely on it is futile and dishonourable; a warrior must adapt, withdraw, or seek another means rather than cling to a broken instrument of war.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a combatant leaving behind a chariot that has been crippled in battle: the horses and the charioteer are dead, and the standard has fallen, marking the chariot’s loss of effectiveness and prestige.