Shloka 4
रथै्हया हयैरनागा: पादातैश्वापि कुज्जरा: । हयै्हया: समाजग्मु: पादाताश्न पदातिभि:,रथोंसे घोड़े, घोड़ोंसे हाथी, पैदलोंसे हाथीसवार, घोड़ोंसे घोड़े तथा पैदलोंसे पैदल भिड़ गये
rathaiḥ hayā hayair anāgāḥ pādātaiś cāpi kuñjarāḥ | hayā hayāḥ samājagmuḥ pādātāś ca padātibhiḥ ||
रथैर्हया हयैर्नागाः पादातैश्चापि कुञ्जराः। हयैर्हया समाजग्मुः पादाताश्च पदातिभिः॥ तत्र रणकोलाहले रथाः अश्वान् अभ्यपतन्, अश्वा गजान्, गजा पदातीन्; अश्वा अश्वैः, पदातयः पदातिभिः समाययुः।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse is primarily descriptive rather than didactic: it underscores how, once war is unleashed, all arms of an army—chariots, cavalry, elephants, and infantry—are drawn into indiscriminate collision. Ethically, it functions as a reminder of war’s consuming nature, where ordered formations and personal restraint quickly give way to chaotic mutual harm.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the opposing forces have fully closed ranks and engaged at close quarters: chariots strike cavalry, cavalry meets elephants, elephants press into foot-soldiers, and like meets like (horse with horse, footman with footman). It depicts the moment of general mêlée in the Drona Parva battle.