Shloka 19
कृष्णेन अर्जुनस्य प्रोत्साहनम् — Kṛṣṇa’s Exhortation to Arjuna
Prelude to Karṇa’s Slaying
अपरे प्राद्रवन् नागा: शल्यार्ता व्रणपीडिता: । प्रतिमानैश्व कुम्भैश्न पेतुरुव्या महाहवे
apare prādravan nāgāḥ śalyārtā vraṇapīḍitāḥ | pratimānaiś ca kumbhaiś ca petur urvyā mahāhave ||
Sanjaya berkata: Gajah-gajah yang lain, diseksa oleh tikaman lembing dan dihimpit sakit luka, lari bertempiaran dalam panik; dan dalam pertempuran besar itu mereka rebah ke bumi, tubuhnya yang besar serta kepala yang bulat seperti tempayan menghentak tanah ketika jatuh.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral and human (and animal) cost of war: even powerful war-elephants, symbols of strength, become victims of pain and fear. It implicitly invites reflection on the suffering produced by violence and the limits of martial pride.
Sañjaya describes a battlefield moment where some elephants, pierced by spears and overwhelmed by wound-pain, break formation and flee, then collapse to the ground amid the great fight.