Shloka 35
Chapter 51: Saṃdhyākāla-saṃhāra
Evening Withdrawal after Arjuna’s Counter-Advance
प्रगृहीताग्रहस्तेन वैराटिरपि दन्तिना । अभ्यद्रवत राजानं मद्राधिपतिमुत्तर:
sañjaya uvāca |
pragṛhītāgrahastena vairāṭir api dantinā |
abhyadravat rājānaṃ madrādhipatim uttaraḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Mounted upon a tusked elephant whose trunk-tip had been curled up and held close, Uttara, the prince of Virāṭa, charged straight at King Śalya, the lord of Madra. In the press of battle, youthful valor seeks renown through direct confrontation, even as such impetuous assault tests the limits of prudence and duty amid war’s chaos.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights kṣatriya valor expressed as direct engagement with a formidable opponent; ethically, it also implies that courage in war must be balanced with discernment, since rash heroism can endanger oneself and one’s side.
Sañjaya reports that Uttara, riding a tusked elephant with its trunk curled and held close, rushes to attack King Śalya, the ruler of Madra, during the battle.