Shloka 84
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)
विप्रजग्मुरनीकेषु मेघा वातहता इव । मृद्नन्तः स्वान्यनीकानि विनदन्त: शरातुरा:
viprajagmur anīkeṣu meghā vātahatā iva | mṛdnantaḥ svāny anīkāni vinadantaḥ śarāturāḥ ||
Sañjaya dit : Lorsque Bhīma, fils de Pāṇḍu, eut abattu les guerriers montés, bien des éléphants en furie—tels des nuées chassées et battues par le vent—se jetèrent en désordre au milieu des formations. Piétinant leurs propres rangs et tourmentés par la douleur des flèches, ils poussaient des cris de détresse, montrant qu’en guerre la force sans maîtrise se retourne funestement contre les siens.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a recurring ethical insight of the epic: violence unleashes forces that easily become uncontrollable. Power without restraint and coordination can rebound upon one’s own people, turning strength (war-elephants) into self-inflicted disaster.
After Bhīma kills many mounted fighters, the Kaurava war-elephants—wounded by arrows and maddened—lose control, scatter through the formations, trample their own troops, and cry out in pain, creating panic and disorder in the Kaurava ranks.