Shloka 14
Adhyāya 17 — गजयुद्ध-वृत्तान्तः, सहदेव-दुःशासन-संघर्षः, नकुल-कर्ण-समागमः
Elephant-battle account; Sahadeva–Duhshasana clash; Nakula–Karna encounter
स पार्थबाणैस्तपनीय भूषणै: समाचित: काजउ्चनवर्मभृद् द्विप: । तथा चकाशे निशि पर्वतो यथा दावाग्निना प्रज्वलितौषधिद्रुम:
sa pārthabāṇais tapanīya-bhūṣaṇaiḥ samācitaḥ kāñcana-varma-bhṛd dvipaḥ | tathā cakāśe niśi parvato yathā dāvāgninā prajvalitauṣadhi-drumaiḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: Ditembusi seluruh tubuhnya oleh anak panah Arjuna yang berhias emas, gajah itu—yang memakai baju zirah emas—bersinar cemerlang. Ia tampak seperti sebuah gunung pada malam hari, diterangi kebakaran hutan, menyala di antara herba dan pepohon. Gambaran ini menegaskan kemegahan yang menggerunkan dalam peperangan: bahkan penderitaan pun ditransfigurasi menjadi sinar yang menakutkan oleh alat-alat perang.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the paradox of war: destructive force can appear outwardly magnificent. It invites ethical reflection on how martial glory and aesthetic beauty can mask suffering, even while fulfilling the kṣatriya code of combat.
Sañjaya describes an armored elephant on the battlefield that has been struck all over by Arjuna’s gold-adorned arrows. The elephant’s body gleams, compared to a mountain at night illuminated by a raging forest-fire among herbs and trees.