Shloka 43
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)
स चचार बहून् मार्गनभित: पातयन् गजान् | अग्निचक्रमिवाविद्ध सर्वतः प्रत्यदृश्यत
sa cacāra bahūn mārgān abhitaḥ pātayan gajān | agnicakram ivāviddhaḥ sarvataḥ pratyadṛśyata ||
Sañjaya sprach: Er zog auf vielen Wegen umher, kreiste nach allen Seiten und streckte Elefanten nieder. In seinem wirbelnden Lauf erschien er überall wie ein feuriges Rad—ein lebendiges Bild unablässiger Kampfesenergie im Chaos der Schlacht.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse primarily heightens the moral and emotional tension of war by portraying how overwhelming force can dominate the battlefield; it invites reflection on the terrifying momentum of violence and the human cost hidden behind heroic spectacle.
Sañjaya describes a warrior moving rapidly through multiple lanes of the battlefield, striking down elephants; his swift, circling movement makes him seem visible in every direction, like a spinning wheel of fire.