Shloka 18
दण्डधारवधः | The Slaying of Daṇḍadhāra
ते वध्यमाना: समरे तव पौत्रेण धन्विना । व्यद्रवन्त दिशस्तूर्ण दावदग्धा इव द्विपा:,युद्धमें आपके धनुर्धर पौत्र श्रुतकर्माद्वारा मारे जाते हुए वे सैनिक दावानलमें झुलसे हुए हाथियोंके समान तुरंत ही सम्पूर्ण दिशाओंमें भाग गये
te vadhyamānāḥ samare tava pautreṇa dhanvinā | vyadravanta diśas tūrṇaṃ dāvadagdhā iva dvipāḥ ||
Sañjaya sprach: Während sie im Kampf von deinem Enkel, dem Bogenschützen, niedergemacht wurden, flohen jene Soldaten sogleich in alle Richtungen, wie Elefanten, die von einem wütenden Waldbrand versengt sind.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a recurring Mahābhārata insight: in war, the collapse of courage and cohesion can be as decisive as physical loss. When a force is overwhelmed by a skilled archer, fear spreads rapidly, and even strong fighters scatter—suggesting that inner steadiness and disciplined order are crucial ethical and practical supports in conflict.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the troops, being slain by Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s grandson Śrutakarman (described as a bowman), broke formation and fled in all directions, compared to elephants running in panic after being scorched by a forest fire.