Shloka 10
Adhyāya 17 — गजयुद्ध-वृत्तान्तः, सहदेव-दुःशासन-संघर्षः, नकुल-कर्ण-समागमः
Elephant-battle account; Sahadeva–Duhshasana clash; Nakula–Karna encounter
ततोडर्जुनं द्वादशभि: शरोत्तमै- जनार्दनं षोडशभि: समार्पयत् । स दण्डधारस्तुरगांस्त्रिभिस्त्रिभि- स््ततो ननाद प्रजहास चासकृत्
tato 'rjunaṃ dvādaśabhiḥ śarottamaiḥ janārdanaṃ ṣoḍaśabhiḥ samārpayat | sa daṇḍadhārās turagāṃs tribhis tribhis tato nanāda prajahāsa cāsakṛt ||
Da traf er Arjuna mit zwölf vortrefflichen Pfeilen und Janārdana (Kṛṣṇa) mit sechzehn. Danach verwundete er die Pferde, jedes mit drei Pfeilen, und der Träger der stabartigen Waffe brüllte immer wieder auf und brach wiederholt in lautes Gelächter aus.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the psychological dimension of warfare: prowess is paired with intimidation (roaring and loud laughter). In the Mahābhārata’s ethical frame, such displays test steadiness and restraint, reminding readers that valor without inner discipline can slide into arrogance even within a dharma-yuddha setting.
Sañjaya reports that a warrior (described as daṇḍadhāra) shoots Arjuna with twelve fine arrows and Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana) with sixteen, then strikes the horses with three arrows each, after which he repeatedly roars and laughs loudly in triumph.