Shloka 29
अपरे प्रद्रुता नागा भयत्रस्ता विशाम्पते । भ्रेमुर्दिशो यथा पूर्व वने दावाग्निसंवृता:,प्रजानाथ! भयभीत होकर भागे हुए दूसरे बहुत-से हाथी सम्पूर्ण दिशाओंमें उसी प्रकार चक्कर काटने लगे, जैसे पहले वनमें दावानलसे घिर जानेपर वे चारों ओर चक्कर लगाते थे
apare pradrutā nāgā bhayatrastā viśāmpate | bhremur diśo yathā pūrvaṁ vane dāvāgnisaṁvṛtāḥ ||
ହେ ପ୍ରଜାନାଥ! ଭୟରେ ତ୍ରସ୍ତ ହୋଇ ପଳାଇଥିବା ଅନ୍ୟ ହାତୀମାନେ ମଧ୍ୟ ସମସ୍ତ ଦିଗରେ ସେହିପରି ଘୂରିବାକୁ ଲାଗିଲେ—ଯେପରି ପୂର୍ବେ ବନରେ ଦାବାଗ୍ନିରେ ଘେରା ହେଲେ ସେମାନେ ଦିଗଭ୍ରମିତ ହୋଇ ଘୂରୁଥିଲେ।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear can overpower strength and training: even powerful elephants lose direction when panic-stricken. Ethically, it implies the importance of steadiness and disciplined leadership in war, since terror spreads and turns organized forces into aimless, self-protective movement.
Sañjaya reports to the king that many elephants, frightened, have broken formation and are running about in all directions. He compares their confused circling to elephants trapped in a forest surrounded by wildfire.