Shloka 8
Adhyāya 17 — गजयुद्ध-वृत्तान्तः, सहदेव-दुःशासन-संघर्षः, नकुल-कर्ण-समागमः
Elephant-battle account; Sahadeva–Duhshasana clash; Nakula–Karna encounter
नरांस्तु कार्ष्णायसवर्म भूषणान् निपात्य साशथ्वानपि पत्तिभि: सह । व्यपोथयद् दन्तिवरेण शुष्मिणा स शब्दवत् स्थूलनलं यथा तथा
narāṁs tu kārṣṇāyasavarma-bhūṣaṇān nipātya sāśvān api pattibhiḥ saha | vyapothayad dantivareṇa śuṣmiṇā sa śabdavat sthūla-nalaṁ yathā tathā ||
Sañjaya berkata: Dengan gajah perangnya yang gagah dan unggul itu, dia menjatuhkan para lelaki yang bersalut zirah besi dan berhias indah, menghempaskan mereka ke bumi bersama kuda-kuda dan askar pejalan kaki, lalu menghancurkan mereka. Seperti buluh tebal yang berkeretak apabila dipijak, demikianlah bunyi kasar dan pecah-berderai yang terbit ketika para pahlawan itu diremukkan.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the fragility of external protections—armour and ornaments—before overwhelming force, and evokes the ethical gravity of war: in the chaos of battle, human beings can be reduced to objects of destruction, prompting reflection on the cost of kṣatriya conflict and the impermanence of worldly splendour.
Sañjaya describes a warrior’s elephant-charge: the powerful elephant knocks down armoured fighters along with their horses and accompanying infantry, then tramples them. The crushing is compared to thick reeds being stomped, producing a crackling sound.