Shloka 39
अध्याय २२ — अमर्याद-युद्धवर्णन
Unrestrained Battle Description and Śakuni’s Rear Assault
नराश्नैव नरै: सार्धथ दन्तिनो दन्तिभिस्तथा
narāśnaiva naraiḥ sārdhaṃ dantino dantibhis tathā
Sañjaya nói: Người bị người nghiền nát, voi cũng bị voi nghiền nát—mỗi bên gặp kẻ đồng hạng trong dòng xô ép của chiến trận, khi cuộc tàn sát hóa thành sự hủy diệt lẫn nhau.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the grim reciprocity of war: force meets force, and violence rebounds upon those who wield it. Ethically, it highlights the tragic cost of kṣatriya conflict—where even equals destroy equals—inviting reflection on restraint and the human (and animal) toll of battle.
Sañjaya is describing the battlefield in the Śalya Parva: the fighting has become so intense that warriors are being struck down by other warriors, and elephants are colliding with and killing other elephants—an image of chaotic, mutual slaughter.