Shloka 117
अर्जुनस्य शीघ्रप्रयाणं भीम-शकुनियुद्धं च
Arjuna’s Rapid Advance and the Bhīma–Śakuni Encounter
द्विरदेश्व हतारोहैर्महामात्रै्हतद्विपै: | अन्योन्येन महाराज कृपो घोरो जनक्षय:
dviradeṣv api hatārohāir mahāmātraiḥ hatadvipaiḥ | anyonyena mahārāja kṛpo ghoro janakṣayaḥ ||
三阇耶说道：“大王啊，在象军之中亦复如是：乘象者被杀，重臣大将——驭象的象夫与统率者——亦被杀，连大象本身也被击倒。彼此近身相搏，互相砍击，遂造成可怖而无情的灭人之祸——这正是战争之相：相互侵害使苦难倍增，不论战士、御者，抑或禽兽，无一得免。”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical gravity of war: when combat becomes mutual and indiscriminate, it destroys not only famed warriors but also attendants and animals, showing how violence expands beyond its supposed targets and erodes compassion (kṛpā).
Sañjaya reports to the king that in the ongoing battle, elephant units have been devastated—riders, mahouts/high officers, and the elephants themselves are killed—because the opposing sides strike each other relentlessly, resulting in a horrific massacre.