Shloka 15
दुःशासनेन समरे रथिनो विरथीकृता: । सादिनश्न महेष्वासा हस्तिनश्व॒ महाबला:
sañjaya uvāca |
duḥśāsanena samare rathino virathīkṛtāḥ |
sādinaś ca maheṣvāsā hastinaś ca mahābalāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: In that battle, by Duhśāsana’s onslaught the chariot-warriors were stripped of their chariots; likewise the mighty archers among the cavalry and the powerful elephant-warriors were thrown into disarray. The scene showed how brute force and relentless aggression can overturn the usual protections of rank and equipment in war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the volatility of war: status, equipment, and conventional advantages (chariots, cavalry, elephants) can be overturned by sheer force. Ethically, it hints at how unchecked aggression can dominate the battlefield, foreshadowing the broader Mahabharata concern that power without restraint tends toward adharma.
Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that Duhshasana is fighting fiercely in the Kurukshetra battle, causing chariot-warriors to lose their chariots and disrupting both cavalry and elephant contingents—depicting a moment of intense, chaotic combat.