Shloka 2
Chapter 12: Arjuna’s suppression of the Saṃśaptakas and duel with Aśvatthāmā
Drauṇi
संजय कहते हैं--राजन्! उन दोनों सेनाओंके हाथी, घोड़े और मनुष्य बहुत प्रसन्न थे। देवताओं तथा असुरोंके समान प्रकाशित होनेवाली वे दोनों विशाल सेनाएँ परस्पर भिड़कर अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंका प्रहार करने लगीं ।।
sañjaya uvāca—rājan! ubhayor api senayor hastinaḥ aśvāś ca manuṣyāś ca sumanasaḥ āsan. devāsura-samābhāsaḥ te dve vipulāḥ senāḥ parasparaṁ saṁnipatya astrāṇi śastrāṇi ca prahartuṁ pravavṛtuḥ. tato nara-ratha-śreṣṭhāḥ pattayaś cogra-vikramāḥ samprāhārān bhṛśaṁ cakrur deha-pāpmāsu-nāśanān. tathaiva pāṇḍavā rājan tava putrasya vāhinīm karṇasya pramukhe kruddhā nijaghnus te mahārathāḥ.
サンジャヤは言った。「王よ、両軍の象兵・馬兵・歩兵はいずれも意気高く昂っていた。神々やアスラのごとく輝く二つの大軍は相まみえ、武器と飛び道具で互いを打ち始めた。やがて、名だたる戦士たち—大車戦士と猛き歩兵—が、身と命を滅ぼすほどの激しい突撃を繰り返した。同じく王よ、怒りに燃えるパーンダヴァのマハーラタたちは、カルナの目前で、あなたの子の軍勢を討ち崩し始めた。」
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how exhilaration and anger in war quickly become engines of destruction: once armies collide, the momentum of pride and wrath overwhelms restraint, leading to the loss of bodies and lives. It implicitly warns that unchecked krodha (anger) and martial excitement eclipse compassion and discernment, even among the greatest warriors.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that both armies—elephants, horses, and foot-soldiers—are eager and radiant as they clash. Fierce close combat begins with astras and śastras. In particular, the Pāṇḍava mahārathas, enraged, attack and destroy Duryodhana’s forces right in Karṇa’s presence at the front.