Shloka 33
Śālva’s Elephant Assault and the Counterstroke (शाल्वस्य नागारूढाभ्यवहारः)
मामतिक्रमते पार्थो धनुष्पाणिमवस्थितम् । जघने सर्वसैन्यानां ममाश्चान् प्रतिपादय
sañjaya uvāca |
mām atikramate pārtho dhanuṣpāṇim avasthitam |
jaghane sarvasainyānāṁ mamāśvān pratipādaya |
Sañjaya nói: “Arjuna đang toan vượt qua ta khi ta đứng đây, tay cầm cung. Vậy nên, hỡi người đánh xe, hãy thúc ngựa đưa ta về phía hậu quân của toàn bộ đại binh.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in a dharmic framework of warfare, courage alone is insufficient; discernment and timely tactical movement are necessary to prevent greater harm. The verse highlights practical leadership—recognizing a threat (being outflanked) and issuing a clear command to preserve order in battle.
Sanjaya reports a battlefield moment where Arjuna attempts to pass beyond the speaker’s position while the speaker stands ready with a bow. To counter this, the speaker orders the charioteer to take the chariot’s horses to the rear of the army, indicating a repositioning to avoid being bypassed.