Shloka 4
रथै्हया हयैरनागा: पादातैश्वापि कुज्जरा: । हयै्हया: समाजग्मु: पादाताश्न पदातिभि:,रथोंसे घोड़े, घोड़ोंसे हाथी, पैदलोंसे हाथीसवार, घोड़ोंसे घोड़े तथा पैदलोंसे पैदल भिड़ गये
rathaiḥ hayā hayair anāgāḥ pādātaiś cāpi kuñjarāḥ | hayā hayāḥ samājagmuḥ pādātāś ca padātibhiḥ ||
サンジャヤは言った。戦の渦中では、戦車が馬に激突し、馬は象へと突進し、象は歩兵にぶつかり、馬は馬と衝突し、歩兵は歩兵と組み合った。かくして両軍は密着し、各兵種は同じ兵種同士で打ち合い、戦の暴力があらゆる間合いと自制を消し去った。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse is primarily descriptive rather than didactic: it underscores how, once war is unleashed, all arms of an army—chariots, cavalry, elephants, and infantry—are drawn into indiscriminate collision. Ethically, it functions as a reminder of war’s consuming nature, where ordered formations and personal restraint quickly give way to chaotic mutual harm.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the opposing forces have fully closed ranks and engaged at close quarters: chariots strike cavalry, cavalry meets elephants, elephants press into foot-soldiers, and like meets like (horse with horse, footman with footman). It depicts the moment of general mêlée in the Drona Parva battle.