Shloka 17
अश्वमेधीयस्य हयस्य दक्षिणापश्चिमगमनम् — The Sacrificial Horse’s Southern and Western Circuit
सम्भ्रान्तनरनागाश्वमपतद् विद्रुतं बलम् । हतविध्वस्तभूयिष्ठमावर्तत मुहुर्मुहु:
sambhrāntanaranāgāśvam apatat vidrutaṃ balam | hatavidhvastabhūyiṣṭham āvartata muhurmuhuḥ ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: Ang hukbo, nabalot ng sindak—magkakahalo ang tao, elepante, at kabayo—ay nabuwag at tumakas. Karamihan ay napatay at nadurog, at paulit-ulit itong umiikot pabalik-balik, hindi makapanindigan ni makahanap ng matatag na landas sa gitna ng pagkawasak.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear and confusion rapidly dissolve collective strength: when discipline and clarity fail, even a great force becomes directionless—an ethical reminder that violence breeds instability and that leadership and self-control are crucial in crisis.
Vaiśampāyana describes a battlefield moment where the force has been heavily killed and broken; the survivors flee in disorder and repeatedly wheel back, suggesting a rout with intermittent, ineffective attempts to regroup.