Shloka 19

Devanagari script

तद्‌ युद्धमभवद्‌ घोरं वृद्धयो: सहसेनयो: । यथा महायूथपयोर्दििपयो: सम्प्रभिन्नयो:

Transliteration

tad yuddham abhavad ghoraṁ vṛddhayoḥ saha-senayoḥ | yathā mahā-yūthapayoḥ dvipayoḥ samprabhinnayoḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Da erhob sich ein schauriger Kampf zwischen jenen beiden betagten Heerführern samt ihren Heeren—wie der Zusammenprall zweier großer Elefantenfürsten, Herren mächtiger Herden, vom Rausch der Wut rasend geworden. Das Bild zeigt: Wenn erfahrene Krieger im Zorn aufeinandertreffen, wird der Streit für alle ringsum überwältigend und reißt ganze Scharen in den gewaltsamen Sog ihres persönlichen Ringens.

Word by Word

तत्that

युद्धम्battle

अभवत्became / was

घोरम्terrible

वृद्धयोःof the two aged (ones)

सहसेनयोःof the two (armies) with their forces

यथाas / just as

महायूथपयोःof two great herd-leaders

द्विपयोःof two elephants

सम्प्रभिन्नयोःof (two) enraged / rutting (ones)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

two aged leaders (vṛddhau)

their armies (senā)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how the clash of powerful leaders can escalate into a catastrophic struggle that engulfs entire armies. Ethically, it warns that personal rivalry and wrath in positions of authority magnify suffering for many, making restraint and responsibility crucial even amid kṣatriya duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a fierce engagement breaking out between two elder champions, each supported by his forces. He compares their encounter to two great musth elephants colliding—an image of unstoppable force, noise, and danger to all nearby.