Shloka 15
Daiva–Puruṣakāra Discourse and the Elephant-Corps Engagement (भीमगजानीक-सम्भ्रान्ति)
कलिज्जैः सह चेदीनां निषादैश्व विशाम्पते । राजन्! इस प्रकार वहाँ बहुसंख्यक कलिंगों और निषादोंके साथ अल्पसंख्यक चेदिदेशीय सैनिकोंका बड़ा भयंकर युद्ध होने लगा || १४ $ ।।
kaliṅgaiḥ saha cedīnāṃ niṣādaiś ca viśāṃpate | rājan bahusaṅkhyakaiḥ kaliṅgaiḥ niṣādaiś ca alpasaṅkhyakaiḥ cedideśīyaiḥ sainikaiḥ saha tatra bhayānakaṃ yuddhaṃ pravavṛte || kṛtvā puruṣakāraṃ tu yathāśakti mahābalāḥ |
三阇耶说道：噢，民众之主，噢，大王——在那里爆发了极其可怖的战斗：众多迦陵伽人与尼沙陀人同人数较少的支提军相撞。然那些强悍的勇士竭尽所能，奋发男儿之力，仍在鏖战中奋勇向前。
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds puruṣakāra—human effort and valor—showing that even when outnumbered, warriors are expected to strive yathāśakti (to the limit of their capacity). Ethically, it reflects the kṣatriya ideal of steadfast exertion in one’s duty amid fear and imbalance.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a fierce engagement has begun in which many Kalinga and Niṣāda fighters confront a smaller contingent of Cedi soldiers, and the combatants press forward with maximum exertion.