Shloka 28
भीष्मस्य शरशय्या-प्राप्तिः
Bhīṣma’s Fall to the Arrow-Bed
सहदेवं तथा यान्तं कृप: शारद्वतो5भ्ययात् । यथा नागो वने नागं मत्तो मत्तमुपाद्रवत्
sahadevaṃ tathā yāntaṃ kṛpaḥ śāradvatobhyayāt | yathā nāgo vane nāgaṃ matto mattam upādravat ||
Sañjaya berkata: Ketika Sahadeva maju, Kṛpa Śāradvata bergerak menghadangnya—laksana di rimba seekor gajah yang mabuk musth menyerbu gajah lain yang sama-sama mengamuk.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how war amplifies powerful impulses—fury, pride, and momentum—likening warriors to musth-elephants. Ethically, it cautions that even capable and learned fighters can be swept into violent confrontation, so dharma in battle requires vigilance and restraint amid overwhelming passion.
Sañjaya reports that Sahadeva is advancing on the battlefield, and Kṛpa Śāradvata moves to meet and attack him. Their impending clash is compared to two maddened elephants charging each other in a forest, signaling a fierce, evenly matched engagement.