Shloka 24
कर्णस्य दानप्रतिज्ञा–शल्योपदेश–वाक्ययुद्धम्
Karna’s Gift-Vows, Shalya’s Counsel, and the Battle of Words
पदातीनां तु सहसा प्रद्गुतानां महाहवे । उत्सृज्याभरणं तूर्णमवप्लुत्य रणाजिरे,पैदल सैनिक युद्धस्थलमें अपने आभूषण त्यागकर तुरंत उछल-उछलकर बड़े वेगसे भागने लगे। उस समय सहसा भागते हुए उन पैदलोंके उन विचित्र आभूषणोंको अपने ऊपर प्रहार होनेमें निमित्त मानकर हाथी उन्हें सूँड़से उठा लेते और फिर दाँतोंसे दबाकर फोड़ डालते थे
sañjaya uvāca | padātīnāṃ tu sahasā pradrutānāṃ mahāhave | utsṛjyābharaṇaṃ tūrṇam avaplutya raṇājire |
सञ्जय उवाच—महाहवे पदातयः सहसा प्रद्रुताः। तेऽभरणानि उत्सृज्य तूर्णम् अवप्लुत्य रणाजिरे पलायन्त। तेषां त्रासविसृष्टानि चित्राण्याभरणानि स्वप्रहारनिमित्तमिव मन्यमानाः गजाः, पलायमानान् नरान् सूण्डया समुद्धृत्य दन्ताभ्यां पीडयित्वा भित्त्वा च व्यनाशयन्।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear and loss of discipline in war magnify suffering: in panic, soldiers discard what they value, and that very disorder becomes the condition for greater destruction. Ethically, it underscores the peril of adharma-like chaos—when courage, cohesion, and right conduct collapse, consequences become swift and brutal.
Sañjaya describes infantrymen suddenly fleeing the battlefield, throwing away their ornaments and running in confusion. Amid the rout, elephants seize and crush them—depicting the catastrophic violence that follows when troops break formation and attempt to escape.