Shloka 135
Vāsudeva-Māhātmya: Duryodhana’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Theological Account of Keśava
रणे रथानामयुतं निहत्य हता गजा: सप्तशतार्जुनेन । प्राच्याश्न सौवीरगणाश्ष सर्वे निपातिता: क्षुद्रकमालवाश्व
raṇe rathānām ayutaṃ nihatya hatā gajāḥ saptaśatārjunena | prācyāś ca sauvīragaṇāś ca sarve nipātitāḥ kṣudrakamālavāś ca ||
Sañjaya said: In the thick of battle, Arjuna slew ten thousand chariots; he also brought down seven hundred elephants. Likewise, all the eastern contingents and the companies of the Sauvīras were felled, as were the Kṣudrakas and the Mālavas. The verse underscores the overwhelming force unleashed in war—where prowess can annihilate entire hosts—inviting reflection on the grave moral weight borne by warriors and leaders when violence becomes the chosen means.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the immense destructive capacity of martial excellence in war, implicitly pressing the ethical reflection that such power carries heavy responsibility—leaders and warriors must weigh dharma and consequences even when victory is possible through overwhelming force.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Arjuna, in the battle, has slaughtered vast numbers—ten thousand chariot-warriors and seven hundred elephants—and has also cut down entire allied contingents, including the eastern troops, the Sauvīras, the Kṣudrakas, and the Mālavas.