Shloka 16
विकृष्यमाणैर्जवनैस्तुरड़मै- हतेश्वरै राजरथै: सुकल्पितै: । मनुष्यमातड्ररथाश्वराशिभि- ्रूतं ब्रजन्तो बहुधा विचूर्णिता:
vikṛṣyamāṇair javanaiḥ turaṅgamaiḥ hateśvarai rāja-rathaiḥ sukalpitaiḥ | manuṣya-mātaṅga-rathāśva-rāśibhiḥ drutaṃ vrajanto bahudhā vicūrṇitāḥ ||
Śalya berkata: Kereta-kereta kerajaan yang tersusun rapi—kini kehilangan tuannya, para kesatria-kereta—terseret oleh kuda-kuda yang tangkas. Sementara itu gerombolan manusia, gajah, kereta biasa, dan kuda lari tunggang-langgang; dalam desak ketakutan itu, banyak yang berlari tergesa-gesa terinjak-injak hingga hancur luluh.
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the collateral devastation of war: when commanders fall and discipline breaks, fear-driven flight causes indiscriminate harm. Ethically, it underscores that violence spreads suffering beyond intended targets, crushing even those merely trying to survive.
Śalya describes a battlefield rout: masterless, well-equipped royal chariots are pulled away by swift horses, while crowds of men, elephants, chariots, and horses surge in hurried retreat. In the crush of movement, many are trampled and pulverized.