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Shloka 18

कर्णस्य दानप्रतिज्ञा–शल्योपदेश–वाक्ययुद्धम्

Karna’s Gift-Vows, Shalya’s Counsel, and the Battle of Words

नागा हयान्‌ समासाद्य विक्षिपन्तो बहून्‌ रणे । दारयामासुरत्युग्रं तत्र तत्र तदा तदा,हाथी बहुत-से घोड़ोंको पकड़-पकड़कर रणभूमिमें इधर-उधर फेंकने और विदीर्ण करने लगे। उससे वहाँ उस समय बड़ा भयंकर दृश्य उपस्थित हो गया

nāgā hayān samāsādya vikṣipanto bahūn raṇe | dārayāmāsur atyugraṁ tatra tatra tadā tadā ||

ہاتھی گھوڑوں کے قریب جا کر میدانِ جنگ میں بہت سے گھوڑوں کو پکڑ پکڑ کر اِدھر اُدھر پٹختے اور بار بار چیر پھاڑ دیتے تھے؛ اس سے اُس وقت وہاں نہایت ہولناک منظر پیدا ہو گیا۔

नागाःelephants
नागाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनाग
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
हयान्horses
हयान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootहय
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
समासाद्यhaving approached/attacked (them)
समासाद्य:
Karma
TypeVerb
Rootसम्-आ-√सद्
Formल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), Parasmaipada (usage), Non-finite
विक्षिपन्तःthrowing/scattering
विक्षिपन्तः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवि-√क्षिप्
Formशतृ (present active participle), Masculine, Nominative, Plural
बहून्many
बहून्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootबहु
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
रणेin battle
रणे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootरण
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
दारयामासुःthey tore/rent asunder
दारयामासुः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Root√दॄ (दारयति)
Formलिट् (periphrastic perfect), Third, Plural, Parasmaipada
अति-उग्रम्exceedingly fierce/terrible
अति-उग्रम्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootअत्युग्र (अति + उग्र)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
तत्रthere
तत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र
तत्रhere and there
तत्र:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र
तदाthen
तदा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा
तदाagain and again/at that time
तदा:
Adhikarana
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतदा

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
E
elephants
H
horses
B
battlefield (raṇa)

Educational Q&A

The verse underscores the terrifying momentum of war: when power and rage dominate, living beings become objects to be seized, thrown, and destroyed. Implicitly, it warns of the ethical cost of battle—how quickly violence escalates beyond measured conduct, producing भय (dread) and व्यापक विनाश (widespread ruin).

Sañjaya describes a battlefield moment where elephants charge into horses, grab them, fling them around, and crush/tear them repeatedly across the field, creating an extremely horrific spectacle.