Shloka 18
कर्णस्य दानप्रतिज्ञा–शल्योपदेश–वाक्ययुद्धम्
Karna’s Gift-Vows, Shalya’s Counsel, and the Battle of Words
नागा हयान् समासाद्य विक्षिपन्तो बहून् रणे । दारयामासुरत्युग्रं तत्र तत्र तदा तदा
nāgā hayān samāsādya vikṣipanto bahūn raṇe | dārayāmāsur atyugraṁ tatra tatra tadā tadā ||
Sañjaya dit : Les éléphants, fondant sur les chevaux, en saisirent beaucoup sur le champ de bataille et les projetèrent en tous sens, les broyant et les déchirant sans cesse, ici et là. Ainsi, en cet instant, le spectacle devint d’une épouvante extrême.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the terrifying momentum of war: when power and rage dominate, living beings become objects to be seized, thrown, and destroyed. Implicitly, it warns of the ethical cost of battle—how quickly violence escalates beyond measured conduct, producing भय (dread) and व्यापक विनाश (widespread ruin).
Sañjaya describes a battlefield moment where elephants charge into horses, grab them, fling them around, and crush/tear them repeatedly across the field, creating an extremely horrific spectacle.