Shloka 1
Adhyāya 17 — गजयुद्ध-वृत्तान्तः, सहदेव-दुःशासन-संघर्षः, नकुल-कर्ण-समागमः
Elephant-battle account; Sahadeva–Duhshasana clash; Nakula–Karna encounter
हि 7 बछ। हे अष्टादशो<् ध्याय: अर्जुनके द्वारा हाथियोंसहित दण्डधार और दण्ड आदिका वध तथा उनकी सेनाका पलायन संजय उवाच अथोत्तरेण पाण्डूनां सेनायां ध्वनिरुत्थित: । रथनागाश्चपत्तीनां दण्डधारेण वध्यताम्
sañjaya uvāca | athottareṇa pāṇḍūnāṃ senāyāṃ dhvanir utthitaḥ | ratha-nāgāś ca pattīnāṃ daṇḍadhāreṇa vadhyatām |
Sanjaya berkata: Kemudian, di sektor utara pasukan Pandawa, terdengar gemuruh besar. Para prajurit kereta, gajah, dan infanteri ditebas habis oleh pemegang gada-bertongkat (Daṇḍadhāra).
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the ethical tension of war: even within a dharma-framed conflict, mass killing produces fear, disorder, and the collapse of formations. It implicitly highlights how violence, once unleashed, spreads beyond individual duels into collective suffering and panic.
Sanjaya reports that a loud tumult rises in the northern part of the Pandavas’ army because a powerful fighter described as a daṇḍadhāra (staff/club-wielder) is slaughtering chariot-warriors, elephants, and infantry, causing disruption and alarm in their ranks.