Shloka 45
Adhyāya 65: Dawn Assembly, Makara–Śyena Vyūhas, and Commander Engagements
धृष्टद्युम्नहतानन्यानपश्याम महागजान् | पततः पात्यमानांश्व पार्षतेन महात्मना
sañjaya uvāca | dhṛṣṭadyumnahatān anyān apaśyāma mahāgajān | patataḥ pātyamānāṁś ca pārṣatena mahātmanā ||
സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—ധൃഷ്ടദ്യുമ്നൻ വധിച്ച അനേകം മഹാഗജങ്ങളെ ഞങ്ങൾ കണ്ടു. ആ മഹാത്മാവായ പാർഷതൻ (ദ്രുപദപുത്രൻ) പ്രഹരിച്ചതോടെ പല ആനകളും വീഴുകയായിരുന്നു; പലതെയും അവൻ വീഴ്ത്തിക്കൊണ്ടിരുന്നു.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the epic’s sober realism: even the mightiest instruments of war—great elephants—fall when confronted by determined leadership. It implicitly points to the grave cost of conflict and the relentless working-out of kṣatriya warfare, where prowess and duty operate amid widespread destruction.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra what he is witnessing on the battlefield: Dhṛṣṭadyumna, Drupada’s son, is cutting down numerous war-elephants; some are already dead, while others are collapsing or being forced to the ground under his assault.