Shloka 14
Bhīṣma–Karṇa Saṃvāda on the Śaraśayyā (भीष्म–कर्ण संवादः शरशय्यायाम्)
रथाश्ष बहवो भग्ना हयाश्ष शतशो हता: । गजाश्न सगजारोहा: पेतुरुव्या महाहवे
sañjaya uvāca | rathāś ca bahavo bhagnā hayāś ca śataśo hatāḥ | gajāś ca sa-gajārohāḥ petur urvyā mahāhave | ekaikaṃ tribhir ānarccchat kaḍuka-barhiṇa-vājitaiḥ |
Sañjaya dit : Dans cette grande bataille, bien des chars furent brisés, des centaines de chevaux furent abattus, et les éléphants avec leurs cornacs tombèrent à terre. Puis, frappant chaque adversaire à son tour de trois flèches—des traits garnis de plumes de vautour—il leur infligea une douleur cuisante et brisa leur élan, tandis que le carnage et la désolation de la guerre se répandaient sur le champ.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the grim reality of war: even when fought as a kṣatriya duty, battle brings widespread destruction—chariots, horses, and elephants fall. It implicitly cautions that martial prowess and tactical precision operate within an ethically heavy context where the cost of conflict is immense.
Sañjaya describes an intense phase of fighting in which the combatant (implied from context) shoots opponents with sets of three feathered arrows, causing severe distress. The battlefield is littered with broken chariots and fallen horses and elephants, conveying the scale and ferocity of the engagement.