Shloka 39
भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ९६: सौभद्रस्य आक्रमणम्, अलम्बुसस्य प्रतिविधानम्
Abhimanyu’s assault; Alambusa’s counter-engagement
कुछ हाथी नाराचोंसे घायल किये गये थे, कितनोंके शरीरोंमें तोमर धँसे हुए थे और वे सब-के-सब घोर चीत्कार करते हुए इधर-उधर दौड़ रहे थे। उस समय वे शुंगहीन पर्वतोंके समान जान पड़ते थे ।। केचित् क्रोधसमाविष्टा मदान्धा निरवग्रहा: । रथान् हयान् पदातींश्व ममृदुः शतशो रणे,कितने ही मदान्ध गजराज क्रोधमें भरे होनेके कारण काबूमें नहीं आते थे। उन्होंने रणभूमिमें सैकड़ों रथों, घोड़ों और पैदल सिपाहियोंको पैरों तले रौंद डाला
sañjaya uvāca |
ke-cid hastino nārācair āhatāḥ, keṣāṃ-cid aṅgeṣu tomarāḥ praviṣṭāḥ; te sarve ghoram ākrandam kurvāṇā itas-tataḥ pradhāvantaḥ śuṅga-hīna-parvatā iva babhūvuḥ ||
ke-cit krodha-samāviṣṭā madāndhā niravagrahāḥ |
rathān hayān padātīṃś ca mamṛduḥ śataśo raṇe ||
Sañjaya said: Some elephants were struck by iron arrows (nārāca); in the bodies of others, javelins (tomara) were lodged. All of them, crying out terribly, ran here and there, appearing like mountains bereft of their peaks. And some great elephants, blinded by rut and seized by rage, beyond all restraint, trampled down in the battle hundreds of chariots, horses, and foot-soldiers.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger and intoxicated frenzy (krodha, mada) destroy self-control (avagraha). In war, once restraint collapses, power turns indiscriminate—crushing friend and foe alike—showing why dharma emphasizes mastery over passions even amid conflict.
Sañjaya reports battlefield chaos: elephants wounded by arrows and spears scream and run wildly; some, seized by rage and rut, become uncontrollable and trample large numbers of chariots, horses, and infantry.