Shloka 3
Kṛtavarmā–Sātyaki Chariot Duel and Kaurava Morale Shock (कृतवर्म-सात्यकि-द्वैरथम्)
योडसौ महाभद्रकुलप्रसूत: सुपूजितो धार्तराष्ट्रेण नित्यम् । सुकल्पित: शास्त्रविनिश्चयज्ञै: सदोपवाहाः समरेषु राजन्,राजन्! वह हाथी महाभद्र नामक गजराजके कुलमें उत्पन्न हुआ था। धृतराष्ट्रपुत्र दुर्योधनने नित्य ही उसका आदर किया था, गजशास्त्रके ज्ञाता पुरुषोंने उसे अच्छी तरह सजाया था और सदा ही युद्धके अवसरोंपर वह सवारीके उपयोगमें लाया जाता था
yo 'sau mahābhadrakulaprasūtaḥ supūjito dhārtarāṣṭreṇa nityam | sukalpitaḥ śāstraviniścayajñaiḥ sadopavāhāḥ samareṣu rājan, rājan |
Sañjaya said: “That elephant, born in the noble lineage of the great Mahābhadra elephants, was continually honored by Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son. Experts, skilled in the settled conclusions of elephant-lore, had adorned and equipped him well; and, O King—O King—he was always employed as a mount whenever battles arose.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how royal power in war depends not only on warriors but also on carefully maintained instruments of battle—here, a prized war elephant—showing the ethical tension of investing honor and expertise into means of violence.
Sanjaya describes a particular elephant of renowned pedigree, regularly honored by Duryodhana and expertly outfitted by specialists, emphasizing that it was consistently used as a battle-mount whenever fighting occurred.