SB 10.68.11 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.68.11

तं तु ते विरथं चक्रुश्चत्वारश्चतुरो हयान् । एकस्तु सारथिं जघ्ने चिच्छेदान्य: शरासनम् ॥ ११ ॥

taṁ tu te virathaṁ cakruś

[tam tu te viratham chakrush]

catvāraś caturo hayān

[chatvaarash chaturo hayaan]

ekas tu sārathiṁ jaghne

[ekas tu saarathim jaghne]

cicchedaṇyaḥ śarāsanam

[chichchedanyah sharaasanam]

Word-for-word

tam — him tu — but te — they viratham — deprived of his chariot cakruḥ — made catvāraḥ — four caturaḥ — four of them hayān — horses ekaḥ — one tu — and sārathim — the chariot driver jaghne — struck cicheda — split anyaḥ — another śara - asanam — his bow .

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

taṁ tu te virathaṁ cakruś

tam

him

but

they

viratham

deprived of his chariot

cakruḥ

made

catvāraś caturo hayān

catvāraḥ

four

caturaḥ

four of them

hayān

horses

ekas tu sārathiṁ jaghne

ekaḥ

one

and

sārathim

the chariot driver

jaghne

struck

cicchedaṇyaḥ śarāsanam

cicheda

split

anyaḥ

another

śara - asanam

his bow .

Important Words

viratham — deprived of his chariot
A kṣatriya without his ratha is at his most vulnerable. The Mahābhārata's most famous viratha moment is Karṇa's wheel sinking on the final day — kṣatriya tragedy compressed in one word.
śara - asanam — his bow (arrow-seat)
Literally 'the seat of the arrow.' To split a kṣatriya's bow is to silence his speech in battle — Sāmba is now defenseless save for his lineage.
cicheda — split, severed
From chid. The same verb the Gītā uses in 2.23 for what cannot be done to the soul — 'weapons cannot cleave (na chinnatti) the ātman.' Sāmba's bow can be split; his soul cannot.

But they forced him down from his chariot, and thereupon four of them struck his four horses, one of them struck down his chariot driver, and another broke his bow.

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

But they forced him down from his chariot, and thereupon four of them struck his four horses, one of them struck down his chariot driver, and another broke his bow.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya

Commentary

Two verses explain their actions. Karṇa (ekaḥ) struck his chariot and Bhīṣma (anyaḥ) broke his bow.

Related values & verses

Related values

Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Asteya (Non-stealing / Honesty)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)

Personal Guidance

Through coordinated attack, the Kurus dismantled Sāmba piece by piece — horses, charioteer, bow. Even great individual strength can be overwhelmed by organized opposition. We are not meant to fight alone for long.

Reflection Questions

Where am I trying to handle alone what calls for support and community?
Who are my allies, and have I told them I need them?

Analogy

Six axes against a single tree — eventually the tree falls, not because the axes are righteous but because they are six. Sāmba is brought down by numbers, not by superior dharma.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io