Shloka 15
Adhyāya 17 — गजयुद्ध-वृत्तान्तः, सहदेव-दुःशासन-संघर्षः, नकुल-कर्ण-समागमः
Elephant-battle account; Sahadeva–Duhshasana clash; Nakula–Karna encounter
स वेदनार्तोम्बुदनिस्वनो नदं- श्वरन भ्रमन् प्रस्खलितान्तरोड<द्रवत् । पपात रुग्ण: सनियन्तृकस्तथा यथा गिरिव॑जविदारितस्तथा,वह हाथी वेदनासे पीड़ित हो मेघके समान गर्जना करता, सब ओर विचरता, घूमता और बीच-बीचमें लड़खड़ाता हुआ भागने लगा। अधिक घायल हो जानेके कारण वह महावतोंके साथ ही पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़ा; मानो वद्धद्वारा विदीर्ण किया हुआ पर्वत धराशायी हो गया हो
sa vedanārto ’mbudanisvano nadaṁśvaraṁ bhraman praskhalitāntaro dravat | papāta rugṇaḥ sa-niyantrakas tathā yathā girivajra-vidāritaḥ tathā ||
ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ବେଦନାରେ କାତର ସେହି ହାତୀ ମେଘଗର୍ଜନା ପରି ନାଦ କରି, ଦିଗ୍ଭ୍ରମିତ ହୋଇ ଚାରିଦିଗେ ଘୁରିବାକୁ ଲାଗିଲା; ଦୌଡ଼ୁଥିବା ବେଳେ ମଧ୍ୟେମଧ୍ୟେ ଲଡ଼ଖଡ଼ାଉଥିଲା। ପରେ ଅତ୍ୟଧିକ ଆହତ ହୋଇ ସେ ମହାଉତମାନଙ୍କ ସହିତ ଭୂମିରେ ପଡ଼ିଗଲା—ଯେପରି ବଜ୍ରରେ ବିଦୀର୍ଣ୍ଣ ପର୍ବତ ଧସିପଡ଼େ।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh ethical reality of war: power and grandeur (a war-elephant likened to a mountain) are undone by pain and injury, and noncombatant-like attendants (the mahout) also suffer. It implicitly points to the fragility of embodied life and the collateral suffering produced by violence.
Sañjaya describes a wounded war-elephant: it bellows like thunder, runs about in confusion, repeatedly stumbles, and finally collapses on the ground together with its driver, compared to a mountain shattered by a thunderbolt.