Shloka 7
भीष्मरक्षण-उद्योगः, शिखण्डि-विवर्जनं, सर्वतोभद्र-व्यूहः
Protection of Bhīṣma, Exemption of Śikhaṇḍin, and the Sarvatobhadra Array
तामुद्यतामभिप्रेक्ष्य वड्रानामधिपस्त्वरन् । कुण्जरं गिरिसंकाशं राक्षसं प्रत्यचोदयत्
tām udyatām abhiprekṣya vajrāṇām adhipas tvaran | kuñjaraṁ giri-saṅkāśaṁ rākṣasaṁ pratyacodayat ||
Sañjaya sprach: Als er ihn so kampfbereit sah, trieb der Herr derer, die wie Donnerkeile schlagen, eilig den rākṣasischen Elefanten—berggleich an Größe—gegen ihn vor.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the warrior’s ethic of alertness and prompt action: when an adversary is visibly prepared, a commander must respond decisively, using available strength without hesitation, as part of kṣatriya conduct in war.
Sañjaya reports that a chief/commander, seeing the opponent ready, quickly drives a fierce, rākṣasa-associated elephant—huge like a mountain—forward to confront that opponent.