Shloka 16
Śalya-hatānantarāṇi: Madrarāja-padānugānāṃ praskandana and the Pandava counter-encirclement (शल्यहतानन्तराणि—मद्रराजपदानुगानां प्रस्कन्दनम्)
परस्पर बाणोंकी वर्षा करते हुए महामना मद्रराज तथा पाण्डववीर युधिष्ठिरके धनुषकी प्रत्यंचाका महान् शब्द इन्द्रके वजकी गड़गड़ाहटके समान जान पड़ता था ।।
sañjaya uvāca |
paraspara-bāṇānāṁ varṣāṁ kurvāṇau mahāmanā madrarājaś ca pāṇḍava-vīro yudhiṣṭhiraś ca dhanuṣaḥ praty-añcāyā mahān śabda indrasya vajrasya gaḍgaḍāhaṭa-samo babhūva ||
tau ceratur vyāghra-śiśu-prakāśau mahā-vaneṣv āmiṣa-gṛddhināv iva |
viṣāṇinau nāga-varāv ivobhau tatakṣatuḥ saṁyati jāta-darpau ||
Sañjaya disse: Enquanto o magnânimo rei de Madra e o herói Pāṇḍava Yudhiṣṭhira se cobriam mutuamente com chuva de flechas, o poderoso estalo de suas cordas de arco parecia o trovão do vajra de Indra. Inflamados de orgulho no choque da batalha, moviam-se e investiam como dois filhotes de tigre lutando numa grande floresta por fome de carne; e, como dois elefantes senhoriais de presas, golpeavam-se repetidas vezes no campo de guerra.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how martial pride (darpa) intensifies conflict: even noble warriors can become driven by competitive fury, depicted through predatory and elephantine imagery. Ethically, it underscores the Mahābhārata’s recurring tension—kṣatriya duty in war versus the inner dangers of arrogance and bloodlust.
Sañjaya describes Śalya (king of Madra) and Yudhiṣṭhira exchanging dense volleys of arrows. The bowstring’s twang is compared to Indra’s thunderbolt, and their movements and impacts are likened to tiger-cubs fighting over prey and to two great tusked elephants battering each other in battle.