Shloka 23
द्रोणपर्व — अध्याय २७: सुशर्माह्वानम्, अर्जुनस्य प्रतिनिवर्तनम्, भगदत्तेन गजप्रहारः
विप्रविद्धकुथा नागाश्छिन्नभाण्डा: परासव: । सारोहास्तु रणे पेतुर्मथिता मार्गणैर्भूशम्
vipraviddhakuthā nāgāś chinnabhāṇḍāḥ parāsavaḥ | sārohās tu raṇe petur mathitā mārgaṇair bhūśam ||
Sañjaya berkata: Gajah-gajah itu—kain pelindungnya koyak, perlengkapannya tercerai, tubuhnya tertusuk panah—menjadi tak bernyawa. Para penunggangnya pun, dihancurkan oleh hujan anak panah, jatuh ke tanah di medan laga.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh reality of warfare: even the mightiest forces—armored elephants and their riders—can be swiftly undone. Ethically, it points to the grave cost of conflict and the fragility of life amid the pursuit of victory.
Sañjaya describes a battlefield moment where war-elephants, pierced and stripped of their trappings, lie dead, and their riders—overwhelmed by arrow volleys—fall to the earth.