Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 33
भीमसेनस्य कौरवसुतवधः तथा श्रुतर्वावधः
Slaying of Kaurava princes and the fall of Śrutarvā
गदया भीमसेनेन भिन्नकुम्भान् रजस्वलान् । धावमानानपश्याम कुग्जरान् पर्वतोपमान्
sañjaya uvāca | gadayā bhīmasenena bhinnakumbhān rajasvalān | dhāvamānān apaśyāma kuñjarān parvatopamān |
สัญชัยกล่าวว่า—เราทั้งหลายได้เห็นช้างศึกใหญ่ดุจภูผา ขมับแตกด้วยคทาของภีมเสน เปรอะฝุ่นและโชกเลือด วิ่งหนีแตกตื่นไปทั่วทิศา
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral and psychological reality of war: even immense power (mountain-like elephants) collapses under superior force, and fear spreads quickly. It implicitly warns that reliance on sheer might is unstable, and that violence produces panic and ruin rather than lasting security.
Sanjaya reports to Dhritarashtra that Bhima, wielding his mace, has smashed the temples of war-elephants. Dust-covered and wounded, the elephants break formation and run in different directions, signaling disruption and terror in the Kaurava forces.