Shloka 18
Arjuna Confronted by Saindhava Forces during the Aśvamedha Circuit (श्वेतवाहनस्य सैन्धवसंघर्षः)
स तेन वारणो राजन् मर्मस्वभिहतो भृशम् | पपात सहसा भूमौ वज़रुग्ण इवाचल:,राजन! उस नाराचने हाथीके मर्मस्थानोंमें गहरी चोट पहुँचायी। वह वज्ञके मारे हुए पर्वतकी भाँति सहसा पृथ्वीपर ढह पड़ा
sa tena vāraṇo rājan marmasv abhihato bhṛśam | papāta sahasā bhūmau vajra-rugṇa ivācalaḥ |
Vaiśampāyana thưa: Muôn tâu Đại vương, bị vũ khí ấy đánh trúng dữ dội vào những chỗ hiểm yếu, con voi lập tức đổ sụp xuống đất—như ngọn núi bị lôi chùy của Indra bổ vỡ.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the devastating effectiveness of striking vital points (marma) and, ethically, reminds the listener that martial skill carries grave consequences: power and strength can be undone instantly, so violence is never trivial even when performed within the frame of warfare.
An elephant, hit hard in its vital spots by a weapon, collapses suddenly to the earth; the fall is compared to a mountain shattered by Indra’s thunderbolt, emphasizing the suddenness and magnitude of the impact.