Shloka 26
ते तमभ्यर्दयन् बाणैरुल्काभिरिव कुज्जरम्
te tam abhyardayan bāṇair ulkābhir iva kuñjaram
Sañjaya berkata: Mereka menekan dia dengan hujan anak panah, seolah-olah menghentam seekor gajah besar dengan meteor yang menyala-nyala—suatu gambaran yang menegaskan serangan kolektif yang tidak mengenal henti, menurut etika perang yang keras, di mana keberanian diuji di bawah kekuatan yang mengatasi segalanya.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the battlefield reality of kṣatriya-dharma: courage is measured not only in striking but in enduring concentrated attack. The simile of meteors against an elephant emphasizes both the ferocity of violence and the expectation of steadfastness under pressure.
Sañjaya describes a moment in the battle where multiple fighters converge on a single warrior, showering him with arrows in an overwhelming barrage, likened to fiery meteors pelting a great elephant.