Shloka 65
Bhagadatta’s Advance, the Saṃśaptaka Challenge, and Arjuna’s Counterstrike (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय २६)
स नागराज: प्रवराड्कुशाहतः पुरा सपक्षो5द्रिवरो यथा नृप । भयं तदा रिपुषु समादधद्ू भृशं वणिग्जनानां क्षुभितो यथार्णव:,नरेश्वरर उस समय विशाल अंकुशकी मार खाकर वह गजराज पूर्वकालके पंखधारी श्रेष्ठ पर्वतकी भाँति शत्रुओंको उसी प्रकार अत्यन्त भयभीत करने लगा, जैसे विद्षुब्ध महासागर व्यापारियोंको भयमें डाल देता है
sa nāgarājaḥ pravarāṅkuśāhataḥ purā sapakṣo 'drivaro yathā nṛpa | bhayaṃ tadā ripuṣu samādadhad bhṛśaṃ vaṇigjanānāṃ kṣubhito yathārṇavaḥ ||
स नागराजः प्रवराड्कुशाहतः पुरा सपक्षोऽद्रिवरो यथा नृप । भयं तदा रिपुषु समादधद् भृशं वणिग्जनानां क्षुभितो यथार्णवः ॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how overwhelming force—once directed and provoked—can rapidly alter morale: fear spreads through an opposing host like panic among sailors in a stormy sea. Ethically, it cautions that war magnifies the consequences of control and restraint: a powerful agent (here, the elephant) becomes terrifying when driven, and the vulnerable suffer the psychological shock.
Sañjaya describes a mighty elephant on the battlefield being struck with a strong goad, after which it surges forward and terrifies the enemies. The scene is conveyed through two similes: the elephant is like a winged mountain of ancient lore, and the fear it causes is like the dread a turbulent ocean brings upon merchant-travellers.