Shloka 7
कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ४०
Karṇa’s Pressure on the Pāñcālas; Duryodhana Disabled; Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
समं च विषम चैव रथिनश्न॒ बलाबलम् | श्रम: खेदश्न॒ सततं हयानां रथिना सह
samaṃ ca viṣama caiva rathinaś ca balābalam | śramaḥ khedaś ca satataṃ hayānāṃ rathinā saha ||
桑阇耶说道：“无论地势平坦或崎岖，御者都必须时时衡量车上战士的强弱；并且与他同在，也要不断承受战马的疲惫与劳苦。”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Effective leadership in battle requires continuous assessment of capability and limitation, and shared responsibility for the strain borne by one’s team—here, the charioteer must read the warrior’s condition and manage the horses’ fatigue without neglect.
Sañjaya describes practical realities of chariot combat: terrain changes (level and uneven) demand constant judgment, and the charioteer must coordinate with the chariot-warrior while also attending to the horses’ ongoing exhaustion and stress.