Shloka 28
विस्मिताश्वा भवन् केचित् केचिदासन्नमर्षिता: । कुछ योद्धा लड़नेका उत्साह खो बैठे, कुछ मनस्वी वीर रोषमें भर गये, कितने ही योद्धा उनका पराक्रम देख आश्वर्यचकित हो उठे और कितने ही अमर्षके वशीभूत हो गये || २७६ || हस्तैह्स्ताग्रमपरे प्रत्यपिंषन् नराधिपा:
sañjaya uvāca | vismitāśvā bhavan kecit kecid āsann amarṣitāḥ | hastyaiḥ stāgram apare pratyapiṃṣan narādhipāḥ |
Sañjaya said: Some warriors became stunned in amazement, while others were seized by fierce indignation. Certain kings pressed forward against the elephant-front with their own elephants, driven by wounded pride and the warrior’s code—some losing heart at the spectacle of prowess, others burning with the resolve to answer it with force.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical-psychological tension of war: the same display of valor can produce fear, awe, or righteous indignation. It reflects kṣatriya-dharma—honor and endurance—while also showing how emotions can sway judgment on the battlefield.
Sañjaya describes mixed reactions among the combatants: some are astonished and lose momentum, others become enraged and surge forward, and some kings counter by advancing with elephants against the opposing elephant-front.