Shloka 16
Kṛtavarmā–Sātyaki Chariot Duel and Kaurava Morale Shock (कृतवर्म-सात्यकि-द्वैरथम्)
त॑ नागराजं सहसा प्रणुन्नं विद्राव्यमाणं विनिवर्त्य शाल्व: | तोत्राडुकुशै: प्रेषयामास तूर्ण पाञ्चालराजस्य रथं प्रदिश्य
taṁ nāgarājaṁ sahasā praṇunnaṁ vidrāvyamāṇaṁ vinivartya śālvaḥ | totrāḍukuśaiḥ preṣayāmāsa tūrṇaṁ pāñcālarājasya rathaṁ pradiśya ||
Wika ni Sañjaya: Nang makita ni Śālva ang hari ng mga elepante na biglang napahirapan at tumatakbong nagdurusa, mabilis niya itong ibinaling pabalik sa labanan. Sa paghampas dito gamit ang masakit na pang-udyok at kawit, agad niya itong itinaboy patungo sa kinaroroonan ng karwahe ng hari ng Pāñcāla—itinutulak ang digmaan sa pamamagitan ng puwersa at pagpigil, hindi ng pagpipigil-sa-sarili.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in war, mastery often appears as the ability to compel and redirect even a panicked force (here, a war-elephant). Ethically, it implicitly contrasts coercive control with restraint: battlefield success may rely on harsh means, yet such means also reveal the moral cost of violence and domination.
Sañjaya reports that Śālva sees a great elephant fleeing after being suddenly goaded. Śālva turns it back, strikes it with goad and hook, and drives it quickly toward the chariot of the Pāñcāla king, aiming to press an attack on that target.