Shloka 21

Devanagari script

गजारोहा हयारोहान्‌ पातयाज्चक्रिरे तदा । हयारोहा गजस्थांश्व तदद्भुतमिवा भवत्‌,हाथीसवार घुड़सवारोंको और घुड़सवार हाथी-सवारोंको युद्धस्थलमें गिरा देते थे। ये घटनाएँ आश्षर्यजनक-सी प्रतीत होती थीं

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | gajārohā hayārohān pātayāñ cakrire tadā | hayārohā gajasthāṃś ca tad adbhutam ivābhavat |

Translation

Wika ni Sañjaya: Noon, ang mga nakasakay sa elepante ay nagpapabagsak sa mga nakasakay sa kabayo, at ang mga nakasakay sa kabayo naman ay nagbubuwal sa mga nasa ibabaw ng elepante. Ang ganitong pag-uunahan sa pagbagsak ng mga mandirigmang nakasakay sa digmaan ay waring halos kababalaghan—isang tanawing nakapangingilabot at kahanga-hanga, bunga ng mabangis na husay at panganib ng pakikidigma.

Word by Word

गजारोहाःelephant-riders

हयारोहान्horse-riders

पातयाम्caused to fall / felled

चक्रिरेdid / performed

तदाthen

हयारोहाःhorse-riders

गजस्थान्those stationed on elephants / elephant-mounted (men)

चand

तत्that (event)

अद्भुतम्wonderful / astonishing

इवas if / like

अभवत्was / became

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

elephant-riders

horsemen

elephants

horses

battlefield

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the terrifying reciprocity of warfare: prowess and vulnerability coexist, and even impressive feats can appear 'wondrous' while remaining rooted in destruction. It implicitly cautions that admiration of martial spectacle should not obscure the human cost and peril inherent in battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes a moment in the Kurukṣetra war where elephant-mounted warriors knock down horsemen, and horsemen counter by bringing down those on elephants. The rapid reversals and skillful strikes make the scene seem astonishing.