Mahabharata 7.169.5 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 169, Shloka 5
द्रोणनिन्दाश्रवणं तथा सात्यकि–पार्षतविवादः
Hearing the reproach of Droṇa and the Sātyaki–Pārṣata dispute
तस्य कर्णो हयान् हत्वा शरै: संनतपर्वभि: । सारथिं चास्य भल््लेन द्रुतं निन्ये यमक्षयम्
tasya karṇo hayān hatvā śaraiḥ sannatapārvasandhibhiḥ | sārathiṃ cāsya bhallena drutaṃ ninye yamakṣayam ||
అప్పుడు కర్ణుడు వంగిన సంధులుగల బాణాలతో సహదేవుని గుర్రాలను సంహరించి, ఒక భల్లబాణంతో అతని సారథిని కూడా వేగంగా యమలోకానికి పంపెను।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the grim ethic of Kurukṣetra warfare: martial excellence and tactical targeting (horses and charioteer) can decide combat swiftly, reminding readers that in war even non-royal attendants become vulnerable, and death is portrayed as an inevitable passage to Yama’s realm.
Sañjaya narrates that Karṇa first kills Sahadeva’s horses with jointed/bent-shaft arrows, immobilizing the chariot, and then strikes down Sahadeva’s charioteer with a bhalla-arrow, sending him quickly to the abode of Yama.
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