Shloka 213

Devanagari script

गजेनाक्षिप्य बलिना रथ: संचूर्णित: क्षितौ | कितने ही वीरोंकी भुजाएँ तलवारसहित काट गिरायी गयीं, कितनोंके कुण्डलमण्डित मस्तक धड़से अलग कर दिये गये। कहीं किसी बलवान्‌ हाथीने रथको उठाकर फेंक दिया और वह पृथ्वीपर गिरकर चूर-चूर हो गया

Transliteration

gajenākṣipya balinā rathaḥ sañcūrṇitaḥ kṣitau |

Translation

सञ्जय उवाच—गजेनाक्षिप्य बलिना रथः संचूर्णितः क्षितौ। बहूनां वीराणां भुजाः सशस्त्राः छिन्नाः पातिताः, बहूनां कुण्डलमण्डितानि शिरांसि धडात् पृथक्कृतानि। क्वचिद् बलवान् गजो रथं समुत्क्षिप्य क्षिप्तवान्, स भूमौ पतित्वा चूर्णितोऽभवत्।

Word by Word

गजेनby an elephant

आक्षिप्यhaving hurled/dragged/struck

बलिनाby the strong (one)

रथःthe chariot

संचूर्णितःcrushed to pieces

क्षितौon the ground

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

elephant (gaja)

chariot (ratha)

earth/ground (kṣiti)

sword (as implied by the narrative)

earrings (kuṇḍala, as implied by the narrative)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the impermanence of bodily power and worldly splendor in war: strength, weapons, and ornaments cannot shield anyone from destruction. It implicitly warns against attachment and highlights the grim cost that accompanies kṣatriya warfare.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes intense fighting where a powerful elephant hurls a chariot to the ground, crushing it. Simultaneously, warriors are dismembered—arms with swords are cut off and heads with earrings are severed—depicting the chaotic, brutal momentum of the battle.