Shloka 12
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)
अन्योन्यं सम तदा योधा विकर्षन्तो विशाम्पते
anyonyam sama tadā yodhā vikarṣanto viśāmpate
Sañjaya dit : Alors, ô seigneur des peuples, les guerriers—d’égale valeur—se tiraient et se traînaient l’un l’autre dans la cohue du combat, chacun s’efforçant de terrasser son adversaire. La scène montre que, lorsque la force rencontre la force, la victoire tient à la résolution et à la discipline plutôt qu’à la seule puissance brute.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that in righteous warfare (kṣatriya-dharma), when opponents are evenly matched, outcomes depend on steadfastness, training, and self-control rather than brute strength alone—an ethical reminder that power must be governed by discipline.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the fighters on the battlefield are locked in close struggle, physically pulling and dragging one another as the battle intensifies, indicating a stalemated, evenly balanced clash.