Shloka 41

Śālva’s Elephant Assault and the Counterstroke (शाल्वस्य नागारूढाभ्यवहारः)

Devanagari script

तेषामापततां तत्र संहृष्टानां परस्परम्‌ । सम्मर्द: सुमहान्‌ जज्ञे घोररूपो भयानक:,परस्पर हर्षमें भरकर एक-दूसरेपर आक्रमण करनेवाले उभयपक्षके सैनिकोंका वह घोर एवं महान्‌ संघर्ष बड़ा भयंकर हुआ

Transliteration

teṣām āpatatāṁ tatra saṁhṛṣṭānāṁ parasparam | sammardaḥ sumahān jajñe ghorarūpo bhayānakaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Lorsque ces guerriers, transportés d’ardeur, se ruèrent les uns sur les autres, un heurt immense s’éleva—terrible d’aspect et véritablement effrayant.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• आपतताम्: of (those) attacking / rushing upon
• आपतताम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आपत् (धातु: पत्/आपत्)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada, Active, शतृ-प्राय वर्तमानकालिक (आपतत्) का षष्ठी-बहुवचन रूप (आपतताम्) — 'falling upon/attacking' (genitive plural participial usage)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• संहृष्टानाम्: of the delighted (ones)
• संहृष्टानाम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संहृष्ट (√हृष्)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural, भूतकृदन्त (क्त) — 'delighted, exhilarated'

• परस्परम्: one another / mutually
• परस्परम्: Karma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्पर

• सम्मर्दः: crush, melee, close combat
• सम्मर्दः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्मर्द
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुमहान्: very great
• सुमहान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + महान्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जज्ञे: arose / occurred
• जज्ञे: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Atmanepada, Active (intransitive), लिट् (परिपूर्ण) — 'was born/arose'

• घोररूपः: of dreadful form
• घोररूपः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर + रूप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भयानकः: terrifying
• भयानकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भयानक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• ubhayapakṣa-sainikāḥ (soldiers of both sides)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how exhilaration and mutual antagonism in war rapidly intensify into a terrifying, uncontrollable melee, implicitly warning that unchecked passions (harṣa/utsāha joined with hatred) magnify suffering and obscure dharmic restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes both armies charging at each other with excitement; their collision produces a massive, chaotic close-quarters battle (sammarda) that is horrific and frightening.