Shloka 12
कुण्जरै: स्यन्दना भग्ना: सादिनश्न महारथै:
kuñjaraiḥ syandanā bhagnāḥ sādināś ca mahārathaiḥ
Sañjaya said: “In that fierce clash, elephants smashed chariots to pieces, and the great chariot-warriors cut down the mounted horsemen—an image of war’s crushing force, where pride and prowess alike are reduced by overwhelming violence.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the destructive momentum of war: even the highest martial status (mahāratha) and prized war-machines (chariots) are vulnerable. It implicitly cautions against attachment to power and highlights the grave cost inherent in kṣatriya warfare.
Sañjaya reports battlefield scenes: elephants are breaking chariots, while elite warriors are felling mounted riders. The line compresses the chaos of combat into two vivid actions—crushing and cutting down.