Shloka 19
कर्णस्य दानप्रतिज्ञा–शल्योपदेश–वाक्ययुद्धम्
Karna’s Gift-Vows, Shalya’s Counsel, and the Battle of Words
हयारोहाश्व बहव: परिवार्य गजोत्तमान् | तलशब्दरवांश्वक्रु: सम्पतन्तस्ततस्तत:
sañjaya uvāca | hayārohāś ca bahavaḥ parivārya gajottamān | tālaśabdaravāṁś cakruḥ sampatantas tatas tataḥ ||
Sañjaya dit : De nombreux cavaliers, entourant les plus nobles des éléphants, se ruèrent çà et là, faisant claquer leurs mains et soulevant un tumulte retentissant. Saisis par ce vacarme, les énormes éléphants se mirent à courir et à se disperser ; alors les cavaliers les frappèrent de flèches aux flancs et par derrière — image d’une guerre à la cruauté calculée, où le bruit, la panique et la poursuite servent à briser jusqu’aux forces les plus puissantes.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how warfare often relies not only on strength but on manipulation of fear and confusion—using noise and encirclement to panic powerful animals and then exploit their vulnerability. It implicitly contrasts strategic success with the ethical harshness of such methods.
Sañjaya describes a battlefield tactic: horsemen surround elite war-elephants, create a loud uproar by clapping and shouting, causing the elephants to bolt; as they flee or turn, the riders attack them from the sides and rear with arrows.