Shloka 19

धृतराष्ट्र-संजय-संवादः — सैन्यप्रशंसा, भेदनवृत्तान्त-प्रश्नः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Sañjaya Dialogue: Praise of the Host and Inquiry after the Breach

Devanagari script

मत्तानां सुविरूढानां हस्त्यारोहैरविशारदै: । नागानां भीमरूपाणां वर्मिणां रौद्रकर्मिणाम्‌,जिनपर युद्धकुशल हाथीसवार आरूढ थे, ऐसे भयंकर रूप तथा पराक्रमवाले डेढ़ हजार कवचधारी मतवाले गजराजोंके साथ आकर आपका पुत्र दुर्मर्षण युद्धके लिये उद्यत हो सम्पूर्ण सेनाओंके आगे खड़ा हुआ

Transliteration

mattānāṁ suvirūḍhānāṁ hastyārohair aviśāradaiḥ | nāgānāṁ bhīmarūpāṇāṁ varmiṇāṁ raudrakarmiṇām ||

Translation

యుద్ధంలో పూర్తిగా నిపుణులు కాని గజారోహులచే అధిరోహింపబడిన, బాగా శిక్షణ పొందిన, మదోన్మత్తమైన, భయంకర రూపములైన, కవచధారులై క్రూరకర్మలతో కూడిన గజరాజుల దళం ముందుకు సాగింది.

Word by Word

मत्तानाम्of intoxicated (elephants)

सुविरूढानाम्of well-grown/fully mature

हस्त्यारोहैःby elephant-riders (mahouts/war-riders)

अविशारदैःunskilled/inexperienced

नागानाम्of elephants

भीमरूपाणाम्of terrible form

वर्मिणाम्armoured

रौद्रकर्मिणाम्of fierce deeds/performing dreadful acts

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

elephants (nāga/hastin)

elephant-riders (hastyāroha)

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 how war amplifies raw power and terror—armored, maddened elephants become instruments of destruction, and even imperfect human skill (inexpert riders) can unleash immense harm. It implicitly cautions that martial might, when driven by rage and momentum, can overwhelm discernment and restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports the movement of a formidable elephant contingent: powerful, fully grown, rut-maddened elephants, armored and fearsome, advancing into battle while being ridden by men described as not fully expert.