Shloka 84
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)
विप्रजग्मुरनीकेषु मेघा वातहता इव । मृद्नन्तः स्वान्यनीकानि विनदन्त: शरातुरा:
viprajagmur anīkeṣu meghā vātahatā iva | mṛdnantaḥ svāny anīkāni vinadantaḥ śarāturāḥ ||
Sañjaya sprach: Als Bhīma, der Sohn Pāṇḍus, die berittenen Krieger erschlagen hatte, brachen viele rasende Elefanten—wie vom Wind getriebene und gepeitschte Wolken—in die Schlachtordnungen ein und stifteten Verwirrung. Sie zertraten die eigenen Reihen und schrien, von Pfeilschmerz gequält, in Not—ein Zeichen dafür, dass im Krieg ungebändigte Gewalt verderblich gegen die eigenen Leute zurückschlägt.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a recurring ethical insight of the epic: violence unleashes forces that easily become uncontrollable. Power without restraint and coordination can rebound upon one’s own people, turning strength (war-elephants) into self-inflicted disaster.
After Bhīma kills many mounted fighters, the Kaurava war-elephants—wounded by arrows and maddened—lose control, scatter through the formations, trample their own troops, and cry out in pain, creating panic and disorder in the Kaurava ranks.