Shloka 10

Devanagari script

प्रभिन्नैरपि संसक्ता: केचित्‌ तत्र महागजा: । क्रौज्चवन्निनदं कृत्वा दुद्रुवु: सर्वतो दिशम्‌,कुछ महान्‌ गजराज मदस्रावी हाथियोंसे टक्कर लेकर क्रौंच पक्षीकी भाँति चीत्कार करते हुए सब दिशाओंमें भाग गये

Transliteration

prabhinnair api saṁsaktāḥ kecit tatra mahāgajāḥ | krauñcavan ninadaṁ kṛtvā dudruvuḥ sarvato diśam ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Some great elephants there, though already in musth and locked in violent clashes, raised a cry like the krauñca bird and fled in every direction. The scene underscores how, in the press of war, even the mightiest can be driven from steadiness into panic when force meets force and fear overwhelms resolve.

Word by Word

प्रभिन्नैःby/with (those) in rut, maddened

अपिeven/also

संसक्ताःclinging/engaged; having collided/locked (with)

केचित्some

तत्रthere

महागजाःgreat elephants

क्रौञ्चवत्like a krauñca bird

निनदम्a cry/roar

कृत्वाhaving made/uttered

दुद्रुवुःthey ran/fled

सर्वतःon all sides; in every direction

दिशम्direction (as goal)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

mahāgaja (great elephants)

krauñca (bird)

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 the instability of worldly strength: even ‘great’ forces can collapse under pressure. In ethical terms, it cautions against pride in power and shows how fear can disrupt discipline and duty amid conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes battlefield chaos: some massive elephants, despite being in musth and engaged in clashes, cry out loudly (likened to the krauñca bird) and then scatter, fleeing in all directions.