Shloka 5

द्रोणपर्व — अध्याय २७: सुशर्माह्वानम्, अर्जुनस्य प्रतिनिवर्तनम्, भगदत्तेन गजप्रहारः

Devanagari script

स चापि द्विरदश्रेष्ठ;: सदा5प्रतिगजो युधि । सर्वशस्त्रातिग: संख्ये कृतकर्मा जितक्लम:,“और उनका वह गजश्रेष्ठ सुप्रतीक भी युद्धमें अपना शानी नहीं रखता है। वह सब शास्त्रोंका उल्लंघन करके युद्धमें अनेक बार पराक्रम प्रकट कर चुका है। उसने परिश्रमको जीत लिया है

Transliteration

sa cāpi dviradaśreṣṭhaḥ supratīko yudhi sadāpratigajaḥ | sarvaśastrātigaḥ saṅkhye kṛtakarmā jitaklamaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: “And that foremost of elephants, Supratīka too, is ever unopposed by rival elephants in battle. In the press of combat he surpasses all weapons and disciplines, having repeatedly displayed his prowess; he is a proven performer who has conquered fatigue.”

Word by Word

सःhe/that (one)

चand

अपिalso/even

द्विरदश्रेष्ठःthe best of elephants

सदाalways

प्रतिगजःa rival/opponent elephant

युधिin battle

सर्वशस्त्रातिगःone who surpasses all weapons/arms

संख्येin combat/battle

कृतकर्माone who has accomplished deeds (proven in action)

जितक्लमःone who has conquered fatigue

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Supratīka (war-elephant)

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 battlefield ideal of steadfast strength: a warrior-force (here, a war-elephant) is praised for being proven in action and for mastering fatigue—suggesting that endurance and demonstrated competence are decisive virtues in war, even when conventional checks (weapons/techniques) seem ineffective.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya is describing a formidable war-elephant named Supratīka, emphasizing that in battle it has no equal among elephants, is difficult to restrain even by weapons, has repeatedly shown its prowess, and remains tireless.