Shloka 11
Śālva’s Elephant Assault and the Counterstroke (शाल्वस्य नागारूढाभ्यवहारः)
ते रणाद् भरतश्रेष्ठ तावका: प्राद्रवन् दिश: । धावतकश्चाप्यपश्याम श्वसमानान् शराहतान्,भरतश्रेष्ठ] आपके वे सैनिक रणभूमिसे सम्पूर्ण दिशाओंकी ओर भागे थे। हमने देखा, वे बाणोंसे क्षत-विक्षत हो हाँफते हुए दौड़े जा रहे हैं
te raṇād bharataśreṣṭha tāvakāḥ prādravan diśaḥ | dhāvatakāś cāpy apaśyāma śvasamānān śarāhatān ||
Sañjaya nói: Hỡi bậc ưu tú nhất trong dòng Bharata, quân của ngài đã bỏ chiến trường mà chạy tán loạn về mọi hướng. Chúng tôi thấy họ vừa chạy vừa thở dốc—thân thể bị tên bắn rách nát.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the human cost of war and the fragility of morale: when fear and injury overwhelm discipline, even large armies break and scatter. Implicitly, it warns that adharma-driven conflict culminates in suffering and collapse rather than lasting victory.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Kaurava soldiers are fleeing the battlefield in all directions. He describes them as wounded by arrows and running while gasping, indicating a rout and loss of cohesion in the Kaurava ranks.