Shloka 24
भीष्मरथाभिमुख्यं — Arjuna’s advance with Śikhaṇḍin; Duḥśāsana’s interception
दन्तिनश्न नरश्रेष्ठ हीना: परमसादिभि: । मृद्नन्तः स्वान्यनीकानि निपेतु: सर्वशब्दगा:,नरश्रेष्ठ, कितने ही दन्तार हाथी अपने श्रेष्ठ सवारोंसे रहित हो अपनी ही सेनाको कुचलते हुए प्रत्येक शब्दके पीछे दौड़ते थे
dantinaś ca naraśreṣṭha hīnāḥ paramasādibhiḥ | mṛdnantaḥ svāny anīkāni nipetuḥ sarvaśabdagāḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai insan terbaik, banyak gajah, kehilangan penunggang terbaiknya dan didorong hingga mengamuk, mula memijak-mijak barisan mereka sendiri. Terkejut oleh setiap bunyi, mereka meluru ke sana sini lalu rebah dalam kekalutan, menyebarkan panik di seluruh medan perang.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in war, loss of skilled guidance and the spread of fear can turn strength into self-destruction: powerful forces (elephants) without proper control become a danger to their own side, illustrating the ethical cost and instability inherent in violent conflict.
Sañjaya describes battlefield disorder: elephants whose expert riders have been removed or slain panic at noises, charge unpredictably, trample their own troops, and collapse into confusion, worsening the rout within their own army.