Shloka 27
Chapter 12: Arjuna’s suppression of the Saṃśaptakas and duel with Aśvatthāmā
Drauṇi
संसक्तनागौ तौ वीरौ तोमरैरितरेतरम् । बलवत् सूर्यरश्म्याभैर्भित्त्वान्योन्यं विनेदतु:
saṁsaktanāgau tau vīrau tomarair itaretaram | balavat sūryaraśmyābhair bhittvānyonyaṁ vinedatuḥ ||
Sanjaya berkata: Dengan gajah mereka saling terkunci, kedua-dua wira itu saling menyerang dengan tomara yang berkilau seperti sinar matahari. Mereka merobek satu sama lain dengan kekuatan dan mengaum lantang, wahai Raja. Dan Satyaki, yang terluka di medan perang oleh pahlawan agung dari Kekaya, membalas—seakan tersenyum—dengan dua puluh lima anak panah, hingga orang Kekaya itu turut cedera.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kshatriya ideal of steadfastness in battle—courage and resolve even under severe danger—while also implicitly revealing the tragic symmetry of war: both sides inflict and suffer harm, and martial glory is inseparable from destruction.
Two elephant-mounted fighters (or fighters with elephants) have their elephants locked together. They hurl or thrust shining javelins at each other, pierce one another with force, and roar loudly as the duel intensifies.