Shloka 26

Nakula’s Engagement with Citra-sena and Karṇa’s Sons; Śalya Re-stabilizes the Kaurava Host

Devanagari script

गजानीकं महाराज वध्यमानं महात्मभि: । व्यदीर्यत दिश: सर्वा वातनुन्ना घना इव,महाराज! वायुके वेगसे छिन्न-भिन्न हुए बादलोंके समान महामनस्वी वीरोंके बाणोंसे घायल हुई गजसेना सम्पूर्ण दिशाओंमें विदीर्ण हो रही थी

Transliteration

gajānīkaṃ mahārāja vadhyamānaṃ mahātmabhiḥ | vyadīryata diśaḥ sarvā vātanunnā ghanā iva ||

Translation

Санджая сказал: О царь, слоновий корпус, поражаемый воинами великой души, разрывался и рассеивался во все стороны — словно тучи, гонимые ветром и разбиваемые его напором.

Word by Word

गजानीकम्elephant-army, elephant corps

महाराजO great king

वध्यमानम्being slain/struck down

महात्मभिःby great-souled (heroes)

व्यदीर्यतwas torn asunder, split apart

दिशःthe directions

सर्वाःall

वातनुन्नाःdriven by the wind

घनाःclouds

इवlike, as if

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Mahārāja (Dhṛtarāṣṭra)

gajānīka (elephant-corps)

wind

clouds

directions (quarters)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the fragility of even formidable worldly power (an elephant-corps) under the momentum of violence and fate in war, suggesting that pride in strength and formations is unstable when confronted by determined force.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the elephant division is being heavily attacked by mighty warriors and is breaking apart in all directions, compared to clouds scattered and torn by strong winds.