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Shloka 156

Cakravyūha-saṃkalpaḥ, Saṃśaptaka-āhvānaṃ, Saubhadra-vikrīḍitam

Drona Parva, Adhyāya 32

विषाणैश्चावनिं गत्वा व्यभिन्दन्‌ रथिनो बहून्‌ । दूसरे हाथियोंने भी दूसरे बहुत-से गिरे हुए मनुष्यों-को अपने पैरोंसे रौंद डाला। अपने दाँतोंसे धरतीपर आघात करके बहुत-से रथियोंको चीर डाला

viṣāṇaiś cāvaniṃ gatvā vyabhindan rathino bahūn |

సంజయుడు పలికెను—ఆ ఏనుగులు తమ విషాణాలతో నేలను తాకుతూ దెబ్బకొట్టి అనేక రథయోధులను చీల్చివేస్తున్నాయి. ఇతర ఏనుగులు కూడా పడిపోయిన అనేక మందిని పాదాలతో తొక్కి, దంతాలతో నేలపై ఆఘాతమిచ్చి అనేక రథయోధులను చిదిమివేస్తున్నాయి.

विषाणैःwith (their) tusks/horns
विषाणैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootविषाण
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
अवनिम्the earth/ground
अवनिम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootअवनि
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
गत्वाhaving gone (to/onto)
गत्वा:
TypeVerb
Rootगम्
FormAbsolutive (क्त्वा), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)
व्यभिन्दन्they split/pierced
व्यभिन्दन्:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootभिद्
FormImperfect (लङ्), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
रथिनःchariot-warriors
रथिनः:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootरथिन्
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
बहून्many
बहून्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootबहु
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
E
earth (avani)
C
chariot-warriors (rathinaḥ)
E
elephants (implied by context: trampling, tusks)

Educational Q&A

The verse underscores the moral cost of war: once violence is unleashed, even instruments of power (like war-elephants) become indiscriminate, crushing the fallen and eroding compassion—prompting reflection on restraint and the limits of righteous warfare.

Sañjaya describes a chaotic battlefield scene in which elephants (and/or horned attackers) gore and split many chariot-warriors; others trample fallen men and strike the ground with tusks, intensifying the carnage.