Shloka 40
Adhyāya 74 (Book 6, Bhīṣma-parva): Bhīma–Duryodhana re-engagement and afternoon escalation
महाराज! उस युद्धमें कितने ही हाथियोंके द्वारा विशाल सर्पराजके समान सूँड़ोंसे खींचकर फेंके हुए रथोंके ध्वज और कूबर चूर-चूर होकर गिरते देखे जाते थे ।।
sañjaya uvāca | mahārāja! tasmin yuddhe bahubhir dantibhir mahāsarpārāja-sadṛśaiḥ śuṇḍaiḥ kṛṣṭvā kṣiptānāṃ rathānāṃ dhvajāḥ kūbarāś ca cūrṇitāḥ patantīti dṛśyante sma | viśīrṇa-ratha-saṅghān keśeṣv ākṣipya dantibhiḥ | drumāśākhā iva āvidhya niṣpiṣṭā rathino raṇe ||
Sañjaya berkata: Wahai Raja, dalam pertempuran itu kelihatan banyak kereta perang diragut lalu dilempar oleh gajah, belalainya laksana raja ular yang perkasa; panji-panji dan kuk kereta hancur berkecai lalu jatuh. Gajah-gajah bertaring memecah-belahkan gugusan kereta, menyambar para pahlawan kereta pada rambut, memutar mereka seperti dahan pohon, lalu menghempas ke tanah—hingga dalam amukan perang, mereka remuk sama sekali.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how unchecked martial force turns warriors into objects of destruction, reminding the listener that power without restraint collapses dignity and order; it implicitly warns that dharma is strained when violence becomes mere crushing might.
Sañjaya describes elephants rampaging through chariot formations: they smash chariots so that banners and yokes splinter, then seize chariot-warriors by the hair, whirl them, and fling them down, crushing them amid the chaos of battle.