Shloka 66

Devanagari script

तस्याश्चांश्वतुरो हत्वा सूतं चैव विशाम्पते । ध्वजं चिच्छेद भल्लेन त्वरमाण: पराक्रमी,प्रजानाथ! पराक्रमी भीमसेनने फुर्ती दिखाते हुए शकुनिके चारों घोड़ों और सारथिको मारकर एक भल्लके द्वारा उसके ध्वजको भी काट दिया

Transliteration

tasyāś cāśvaturān hatvā sūtaṃ caiva viśāmpate | dhvajaṃ ciccheda bhallena tvaramāṇaḥ parākrāmī prajānātha |

Translation

సంజయుడు పలికెను— విశాంపతే! వేగంగా దూసుకెళ్లిన పరాక్రమశాలి భీమసేనుడు అతని నాలుగు గుర్రాలను, సారథిని సంహరించి, భల్ల బాణంతో అతని ధ్వజాన్ని కూడా కోసివేశాడు।

Word by Word

तस्यof him/that (Shakuni)

चand

अश्वतुरःhorses

हत्वाhaving slain

सूतम्the charioteer

चand

एवindeed/just

विशाम्पतेO lord of the people (king)!

ध्वजम्banner/standard

चिच्छेदhe cut

भल्लेनwith a bhalla-arrow

त्वरमाणःhastening

पराक्रमीvaliant/mighty

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sanjaya

Shakuni

Bhimasena

four horses

charioteer (suta)

banner/standard (dhvaja)

bhalla-arrow

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

In the war-ethic of the Mahabharata, victory often comes through strategic dismantling of an enemy’s means of action. Striking horses, charioteer, and banner is not merely violence but a tactical removal of mobility, control, and morale—showing how prowess (parākrama) is expressed as decisive, goal-oriented action in battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that the warrior (contextually Bhīmasena) rapidly kills the opponent’s four horses and charioteer and then severs the chariot’s banner with a bhalla-arrow—effectively crippling the opponent’s chariot and publicly diminishing his battlefield standing.