Shloka 12
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)
अन्योन्यं सम तदा योधा विकर्षन्तो विशाम्पते
anyonyam sama tadā yodhā vikarṣanto viśāmpate
Sañjaya berkata: Pada ketika itu, wahai tuan rakyat sekalian, para pahlawan yang seimbang kekuatannya saling menarik dan mengheret antara satu sama lain dalam himpitan medan perang, masing-masing berusaha menundukkan lawannya. Pemandangan itu menegaskan bahawa apabila kekuatan bertemu kekuatan, kemenangan bergantung pada keteguhan tekad dan disiplin, bukan semata-mata pada tenaga kasar.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that in righteous warfare (kṣatriya-dharma), when opponents are evenly matched, outcomes depend on steadfastness, training, and self-control rather than brute strength alone—an ethical reminder that power must be governed by discipline.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the fighters on the battlefield are locked in close struggle, physically pulling and dragging one another as the battle intensifies, indicating a stalemated, evenly balanced clash.