Shloka 7
Śiva’s Battlefield Manifestation and Vyāsa’s Śatarudrīya Exposition (शिवप्रादुर्भावः शतरुद्रीयव्याख्यानम्)
हस्तिहस्तान् हयग्रीवा बाहुनपि च सायुधान् | क्षुरप्रै: शातयामास तावकानां स माधव:,उन मधुवंशी वीरने आपकी सेनाके हाथियोंके शुण्डदण्डों, घोड़ोंकी गर्दनों तथा योद्धाओंकी आयुधोंसहित भुजाओंको भी क्षुरप्रोंद्ारा काट डाला
hastihastān hayagrīvā bāhūn api ca sāyudhān | kṣurapraiḥ śātayāmāsa tāvakānāṃ sa mādhavaḥ ||
हस्तिहस्तान् हयग्रीवा बाहूनपि च सायुधान् । क्षुरप्रैः शातयामास तावकानां स माधवः ॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh moral landscape of righteous warfare: when conflict is unleashed, decisive action aims to neutralize the opponent’s ability to inflict harm. It also implicitly warns that adharma-driven war culminates in widespread suffering, where even the mightiest forces—elephants, horses, armed warriors—are reduced by relentless violence.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Mādhava (Kṛṣṇa) is cutting down components of the Kaurava fighting units—elephants’ trunks, horses’ necks, and warriors’ weapon-bearing arms—using razor-edged arrows, thereby crippling their combat effectiveness.