Shloka 13
कृष्णेन अर्जुनस्य प्रोत्साहनम् — Kṛṣṇa’s Exhortation to Arjuna
Prelude to Karṇa’s Slaying
गजा गजान् समासाद्य विषाणैरार्दयन् नृप । विषाणाभिह्तास्तत्र भ्राजन्ते द्विरदास्तथा
gajā gajān samāsādya viṣāṇair ārdayan nṛpa | viṣāṇābhihatās tatra bhrājante dviradās tathā ||
Sañjaya berkata: Wahai raja, gajah-gajah mara mendekati gajah lain lalu menghentam dengan gading. Dipukul oleh gading, binatang besar bertaring dua itu masih tampak bersinar di sana—gambaran daya perang yang tidak mengenal henti, sehingga makhluk yang paling mulia pun dipaksa saling mencederakan di tengah pertembungan bala tentera.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the grim momentum of war: even powerful and majestic beings are compelled into mutual injury. It invites reflection on the ethical cost of conflict—how violence spreads beyond human combatants and consumes all who are drawn into it.
Sañjaya reports battlefield action to the king: war-elephants charge and meet other elephants, goring and battering them with tusks; though wounded, the elephants are described as still appearing brilliant amid the clash.