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Shloka 21

अभिमन्योरावरणम्

Encirclement and counter-strikes of Abhimanyu

आवल्रुस्तस्य पन्थानं गजानीकेन दंशिता:

āvalrustasya panthānaṃ gajānīkena daṃśitāḥ

ສັນຊະຍະ ກ່າວວ່າ: ພວກເຂົາຂວາງທາງຂອງລາວ ໂດຍນຳກອງຊ້າງມາອັດຕັນ ຮາວກັບກຳລັງກັດຂາດເສັ້ນທາງ. ພາບນີ້ຊີ້ໃຫ້ເຫັນວ່າ ໃນສົງຄາມ ກຳລັງທີ່ປະສານກັນດີ ສາມາດອຸດກັ້ນການເຄື່ອນໄຫວຂອງນັກຮົບຜູ້ກ້າຫານໄດ້ ແລະເຮັດໃຫ້ສະໜາມຮົບກາຍເປັນບົດທົດສອບທາງທຳ ທີ່ຄວາມກ້າຫານຕ້ອງປະຈັນໜ້າກັບຄວາມຮຸນແຮງອັນມີລະບຽບແລະຫນັກໜ່ວງ.

आवल्रुःthey surrounded/encircled
आवल्रुः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवल् (वलति/वल्लति) उपसर्ग: आ-
FormPerfect (Liṭ), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada
तस्यof him/of that
तस्य:
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormMasculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
पन्थानम्path/way
पन्थानम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootपथिन् (पन्था)
FormMasculine, Accusative, Singular
गजानीकेनby the elephant-corps/elephant-division
गजानीकेन:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootगज + अनीक
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
दंशिताःbitten/stung; (here) urged on/pressed hard
दंशिताः:
TypeAdjective
Rootदंशित (PPP of √दंश्)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
E
elephant-corps (gajānīka)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights a recurring Mahābhārata insight: in war, power often operates through coordinated formations that restrict an opponent’s freedom of action. Ethically, it points to how violence can become systemic—an individual’s valor is tested not only by single combat but by organized, collective force.

Sañjaya describes a combat situation where a warrior’s route is obstructed by an elephant division. The imagery of ‘biting’ conveys a fierce, constricting assault that blocks movement and presses the opponent from multiple sides.