Shloka 15
दुःशासनेन समरे रथिनो विरथीकृता: । सादिनश्न महेष्वासा हस्तिनश्व॒ महाबला:
sañjaya uvāca |
duḥśāsanena samare rathino virathīkṛtāḥ |
sādinaś ca maheṣvāsā hastinaś ca mahābalāḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Dalam pertempuran itu, oleh serangan Duḥśāsana, para pahlawan kereta perang dilucutkan daripada kereta mereka; demikian juga para pemanah gagah dalam pasukan berkuda dan para pejuang gajah yang perkasa menjadi kacau-bilau. Pemandangan itu memperlihatkan bagaimana kekuatan kasar dan serangan tanpa henti mampu meruntuhkan perlindungan yang lazimnya datang daripada pangkat dan kelengkapan perang.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the volatility of war: status, equipment, and conventional advantages (chariots, cavalry, elephants) can be overturned by sheer force. Ethically, it hints at how unchecked aggression can dominate the battlefield, foreshadowing the broader Mahabharata concern that power without restraint tends toward adharma.
Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that Duhshasana is fighting fiercely in the Kurukshetra battle, causing chariot-warriors to lose their chariots and disrupting both cavalry and elephant contingents—depicting a moment of intense, chaotic combat.