Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)
अपरे चैनमालोक्य भयात् पज्चत्वमागता: । एवं सा बहुला सेना कलिज्जानां तरस्विनाम्
apare cainam ālokya bhayāt pañcatvam āgatāḥ | evaṃ sā bahulā senā kaliñjānāṃ tarasvinām ||
Sañjaya dit : D’autres, à la seule vue de cet homme, furent si accablés de peur qu’ils trouvèrent la mort. Ainsi fut réduite à cet état cette vaste armée des vaillants Kaliṅga : sa force défaite par la terreur devant un seul guerrier redoutable.
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights how fear can collapse even a large and powerful force; inner steadiness and courage are decisive in dharmic and martial trials, while panic leads to ruin.
Sañjaya reports that, upon seeing a particular warrior (referred to as 'him'), some soldiers died from sheer terror, and the great contingent of the valiant Kaliṅgas was thrown into devastation.