Mahabharata 7.27.3 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 27, Shloka 3
द्रोणपर्व — अध्याय २७: सुशर्माह्वानम्, अर्जुनस्य प्रतिनिवर्तनम्, भगदत्तेन गजप्रहारः
यथा प्राग्ज्योतिषो राजा गजेन मधुसूदन । त्वरमाणो विनिष्क्रान्तो ध्रुवं तस्यैष नि:ःस्वन:
sañjaya uvāca |
yathā prāgjyotiṣo rājā gajena madhusūdana |
tvaramāṇo viniṣkrānto dhruvaṃ tasyaiva niḥsvanaḥ ||
Sañjaya sprach: „O Madhusūdana! Wie einst der König von Prāgjyotiṣa, eilends auf seinem Elefanten, zum Kampf hinausstürmte, so ist auch dieses tobende Dröhnen gewiss das seine.“
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights discernment amid chaos: even in the moral confusion of war, one must identify causes and agents accurately. It also underscores how a warrior’s distinctive presence (here, Bhagadatta on his elephant) becomes recognizable by signs such as sound, reminding listeners that actions in war carry clear, traceable responsibility.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a great uproar is heard on the battlefield. Addressing Kṛṣṇa as Madhusūdana, he infers that the noise must be Bhagadatta—the king of Prāgjyotiṣa—who is known for charging into battle swiftly while mounted on his elephant.
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