Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 13
अध्याय ३: कृपस्य दुर्योधनं प्रति नीत्युपदेशः
Kṛpa’s Counsel to Duryodhana
पदातिसंघाश्षाश्वौधै: पलायद्विर्भुशं हता: । भागते हुए हाथियोंने बहुत-से रथ तोड़ डाले, बड़े-बड़े रथोंने घुड़सवारोंको कुचल दिया और दौड़ते हुए अश्वसमूहोंने पैदल सैनिकोंको अत्यन्त घायल कर दिया ।।
padātisaṅghāś ca aśvaughaiḥ palāyadbhir bhuśaṃ hatāḥ | vyāla-taskara-saṅkīrṇe sārtha-hīnā yathā vane ||
पळणाऱ्या अश्वौघांच्या वेगाने पायदळांचे समूह अत्यंत जखमी होऊन कोसळले. भय व चिरडण्याने रणभूमी अशी गोंधळली, जणू व्याळ व चोरांनी भरलेल्या वनात मार्गदर्शक-विहीन सार्थ विखुरला गेला आहे।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how quickly war dissolves social and moral order: once fear and flight take over, even one’s own forces become instruments of harm, and the scene resembles a lawless wilderness where the unprotected are prey to danger.
Sañjaya describes a rout and confusion in battle: rushing, fleeing masses of horses crush and grievously injure the infantry, and the field becomes like a forest where a caravan without leadership is scattered amid beasts and robbers.
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