Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 33
भीमसेनस्य कौरवसुतवधः तथा श्रुतर्वावधः
Slaying of Kaurava princes and the fall of Śrutarvā
गदया भीमसेनेन भिन्नकुम्भान् रजस्वलान् । धावमानानपश्याम कुग्जरान् पर्वतोपमान्
sañjaya uvāca | gadayā bhīmasenena bhinnakumbhān rajasvalān | dhāvamānān apaśyāma kuñjarān parvatopamān |
サンジャヤは言った。「我らは見た。山のごとく巨大な戦象が、ビーマセーナの棍棒によりこめかみを裂かれ、塵にまみれ血を流しつつ、恐慌のうちに走り逃げ散っていくのを。ビーマセーナが棍棒を手に取ったその瞬間、クル族の軍勢は一斉に動揺し、山の姿をした象たちはこめかみを破られて四方へ奔った。」
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral and psychological reality of war: even immense power (mountain-like elephants) collapses under superior force, and fear spreads quickly. It implicitly warns that reliance on sheer might is unstable, and that violence produces panic and ruin rather than lasting security.
Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that Bhima, wielding his mace, has smashed the temples of war-elephants. Dust-covered and wounded, the elephants break formation and run in different directions, signaling disruption and terror in the Kaurava forces.