Shloka 41

Śālva’s Elephant Assault and the Counterstroke (शाल्वस्य नागारूढाभ्यवहारः)

Devanagari script

तेषामापततां तत्र संहृष्टानां परस्परम्‌ । सम्मर्द: सुमहान्‌ जज्ञे घोररूपो भयानक:,परस्पर हर्षमें भरकर एक-दूसरेपर आक्रमण करनेवाले उभयपक्षके सैनिकोंका वह घोर एवं महान्‌ संघर्ष बड़ा भयंकर हुआ

Transliteration

teṣām āpatatāṁ tatra saṁhṛṣṭānāṁ parasparam | sammardaḥ sumahān jajñe ghorarūpo bhayānakaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya nói: Khi những chiến binh ấy, trong cơn hưng phấn, lao vào nhau tại đó, một cuộc giằng xé khổng lồ bùng lên—hình thế ghê rợn, thật sự đáng sợ.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• आपतताम्: of (those) attacking / rushing upon
• आपतताम्: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: आपत् (धातु: पत्/आपत्)
• Form: Present, Third, Plural, Parasmaipada, Active, शतृ-प्राय वर्तमानकालिक (आपतत्) का षष्ठी-बहुवचन रूप (आपतताम्) — 'falling upon/attacking' (genitive plural participial usage)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र

• संहृष्टानाम्: of the delighted (ones)
• संहृष्टानाम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संहृष्ट (√हृष्)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural, भूतकृदन्त (क्त) — 'delighted, exhilarated'

• परस्परम्: one another / mutually
• परस्परम्: Karma
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्पर

• सम्मर्दः: crush, melee, close combat
• सम्मर्दः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम्मर्द
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• सुमहान्: very great
• सुमहान्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + महान्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• जज्ञे: arose / occurred
• जज्ञे: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular, Atmanepada, Active (intransitive), लिट् (परिपूर्ण) — 'was born/arose'

• घोररूपः: of dreadful form
• घोररूपः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर + रूप
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• भयानकः: terrifying
• भयानकः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भयानक
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• ubhayapakṣa-sainikāḥ (soldiers of both sides)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how exhilaration and mutual antagonism in war rapidly intensify into a terrifying, uncontrollable melee, implicitly warning that unchecked passions (harṣa/utsāha joined with hatred) magnify suffering and obscure dharmic restraint.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes both armies charging at each other with excitement; their collision produces a massive, chaotic close-quarters battle (sammarda) that is horrific and frightening.