Shloka 24
इन्द्रजिद्-लक्ष्मणयुद्धम्
Indrajit and Lakṣmaṇa: Escalation through Concealment
भीमस्त्वापततो राज्ञ: कोटिकास्यस्य सड़रे । सूतस्य नुदतो वाहान् क्षुरेणापाहरच्छिर:
bhīmas tv āpatato rājñaḥ koṭikāsyasya saṅgare | sūtasya nudato vāhān kṣureṇāpāharac chiraḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana nói: Giữa trận chiến, khi vua Koṭikāsya lao tới, Bhīma thấy người đánh xe (sūta) đang thúc ngựa liền vung vũ khí sắc như dao cạo, chém phăng đầu kẻ đánh xe trong khoảnh khắc.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Within the ethics of battlefield duty, the verse highlights decisive action aimed at neutralizing an enemy’s operational power: by removing the charioteer who controls the horses, Bhīma cripples the opponent’s ability to fight effectively. It reflects the harsh pragmatics of kṣatriya warfare rather than a general moral ideal for ordinary life.
As King Koṭikāsya rushes into combat, his charioteer drives the horses forward. Bhīma responds by striking off the charioteer’s head with a razor-edged weapon, a tactical blow that disrupts the king’s chariot and momentum in the fight.