Shloka 18
Arjuna Confronted by Saindhava Forces during the Aśvamedha Circuit (श्वेतवाहनस्य सैन्धवसंघर्षः)
स तेन वारणो राजन् मर्मस्वभिहतो भृशम् | पपात सहसा भूमौ वज़रुग्ण इवाचल:,राजन! उस नाराचने हाथीके मर्मस्थानोंमें गहरी चोट पहुँचायी। वह वज्ञके मारे हुए पर्वतकी भाँति सहसा पृथ्वीपर ढह पड़ा
sa tena vāraṇo rājan marmasv abhihato bhṛśam | papāta sahasā bhūmau vajra-rugṇa ivācalaḥ |
វៃសម្បាយនៈបាននិយាយថា៖ ឱ ព្រះមហាក្សត្រ! ដំរីនោះត្រូវអាវុធនោះវាយប្រហារយ៉ាងខ្លាំងត្រង់ចំណុចសំខាន់ៗ ហើយភ្លាមៗក៏រលំធ្លាក់លើដី ដូចភ្នំដែលត្រូវវជ្របាតរបស់ឥន្ទ្រាបំបែក។
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the devastating effectiveness of striking vital points (marma) and, ethically, reminds the listener that martial skill carries grave consequences: power and strength can be undone instantly, so violence is never trivial even when performed within the frame of warfare.
An elephant, hit hard in its vital spots by a weapon, collapses suddenly to the earth; the fall is compared to a mountain shattered by Indra’s thunderbolt, emphasizing the suddenness and magnitude of the impact.