Shloka 39
अध्याय २२ — अमर्याद-युद्धवर्णन
Unrestrained Battle Description and Śakuni’s Rear Assault
नराश्नैव नरै: सार्धथ दन्तिनो दन्तिभिस्तथा
narāśnaiva naraiḥ sārdhaṃ dantino dantibhis tathā
มนุษย์ถูกบดขยี้ด้วยมนุษย์ และช้างก็ด้วยช้าง—ในความอัดแน่นแห่งศึก ต่างประจันกับผู้เสมอกันของตน.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the grim reciprocity of war: force meets force, and violence rebounds upon those who wield it. Ethically, it highlights the tragic cost of kṣatriya conflict—where even equals destroy equals—inviting reflection on restraint and the human (and animal) toll of battle.
Sañjaya is describing the battlefield in the Śalya Parva: the fighting has become so intense that warriors are being struck down by other warriors, and elephants are colliding with and killing other elephants—an image of chaotic, mutual slaughter.