Shloka 12
नरा नरै: समाजम्मुर्वारणा वरवारणै: । रथाश्र रथिग्रि: सार्थ हयाश्व हयसादिभि:,उस युद्धमें समस्त पांचाल कौरवोंके साथ भिड़ गये। पैदल पैदलोंके, हाथी हाथियोंके, रथी रथियोंके और घुड़सवार घुड़सवारोंके साथ युद्ध करने लगे
narā naraiḥ samāyattā vāraṇā vara-vāraṇaiḥ | rathāś ca rathibhiḥ sārdhaṃ hayāś ca haya-sādibhiḥ ||
Sañjaya said: In that battle, the foot-soldiers closed with foot-soldiers, the elephants with opposing elephants, the chariot-warriors with chariot-warriors, and the horsemen with horsemen. Thus the armies met in like-for-like combat, each class of fighter engaging its counterpart in the ordered yet ruthless economy of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the structured nature of ancient warfare—each arm of the army (infantry, elephants, chariots, cavalry) engages its counterpart. Ethically, it reflects the kṣatriya-world’s emphasis on ordered combat and matched confrontation, even amid the larger tragedy of fratricidal war.
Sañjaya reports that the battle has fully joined: footmen clash with footmen, elephants with elephants, chariot-fighters with chariot-fighters, and horsemen with horsemen. The armies are interlocked in simultaneous engagements across all divisions.