Shloka 11
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 109 — Karṇa–Bhīma Yuddha and Durmukha’s Fall (कर्णभीमयुद्धम्; दुर्मुखवधः)
तावुभौ नरशार्दूलौ युयुधाते परस्परम् । महावने तीव्रमदौ वारणाविव यूथपौ,महान् वनमें तीव्र मदवाले दो यूथपति गजराजोंके समान वे दोनों पुरुषसिंह परस्पर युद्ध करने लगे
tāv ubhau naraśārdūlau yuyudhāte parasparam | mahāvane tīvrmadau vāraṇāv iva yūthapau ||
Sañjaya said: Those two tiger-like heroes closed with each other in combat, fighting face to face—like two rut-maddened lordly elephants clashing in a vast forest. The image underscores how, in the fury of war, mighty men can be driven by overpowering martial intoxication, where strength and pride surge beyond restraint.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how martial pride and battle-fury can seize even the greatest warriors, likened to rut-maddened elephant chiefs. Ethically, it invites reflection on the need for restraint and discernment (dharma) amid the intoxicating momentum of violence.
Sañjaya describes two formidable champions meeting directly in combat and fighting each other intensely. Their clash is compared to two powerful herd-leading elephants battling in a vast forest.