Shloka 25
कर्णस्य दानप्रतिज्ञा–शल्योपदेश–वाक्ययुद्धम्
Karna’s Gift-Vows, Shalya’s Counsel, and the Battle of Words
निमित्तं मन्यमानास्तु परिणाम्य महागजा: । जग्हुर्बिभिदुश्वैव चित्राण्याभरणानि च,पैदल सैनिक युद्धस्थलमें अपने आभूषण त्यागकर तुरंत उछल-उछलकर बड़े वेगसे भागने लगे। उस समय सहसा भागते हुए उन पैदलोंके उन विचित्र आभूषणोंको अपने ऊपर प्रहार होनेमें निमित्त मानकर हाथी उन्हें सूँड़से उठा लेते और फिर दाँतोंसे दबाकर फोड़ डालते थे
nimittaṁ manyamānās tu pariṇāmya mahāgajāḥ | jaghur bibiduś caiva citrāṇy ābharaṇāni ca ||
Sañjaya said: Taking it as an ominous sign, the great elephants, turning back, seized and crushed the soldiers’ ornate ornaments as well—snatching them up and breaking them—amid the panic of men fleeing the battlefield. The scene underscores how, in the chaos of war, fear and superstition mingle with brute force, and even objects of pride become tokens of dread and destruction.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in war, people (and even armies) interpret events as omens and react from fear; worldly adornments and pride (ornaments) can instantly become meaningless, even turning into causes of further harm amid uncontrolled violence.
As foot-soldiers flee and discard their ornaments, the great elephants—taking the striking of those ornaments as an ominous ‘nimitta’—wheel about, seize the ornaments, and crush/break them, intensifying the panic and destruction on the battlefield.