Shloka 25
कर्णार्जुनयुद्ध-प्रवृत्तिः
Renewal of the Karṇa–Arjuna Engagement at Day’s End
तेषामष्टौ महानागांश्षतुःषष्ट्या सुतेजनै: । सहदेवो जघानाशु तेडपतन् सह सादिभि:,सहदेवने उनमेंसे आठ महागजोंको चौंसठ पैने बाणोंसे शीघ्र मार डाला। वे सब-के-सब सवारोंके साथ धराशायी हो गये
teṣām aṣṭau mahānāgān ṣaṭṣaṣṭyā sutejanaiḥ | sahadevo jaghānāśu te ’patann saha sādibhiḥ ||
Dijo Sañjaya: Sahadeva abatió con presteza a ocho grandes elefantes de guerra con sesenta y cuatro flechas afiladas como navajas. Todos se desplomaron en tierra junto con sus jinetes. La escena subraya la sombría eficacia de la pericia en el campo de batalla, donde el valor y el deber (dharma) se cumplen mediante una acción decisiva y letal, bajo el peso moral más vasto de la guerra.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of decisive competence in battle—acting swiftly and effectively when duty demands—while implicitly reminding the listener of war’s heavy cost, as even mighty beings and their riders fall together.
Sañjaya reports that Sahadeva rapidly brings down eight great war-elephants using sixty-four sharp arrows, and the elephants collapse along with their riders.