प्रतीपं ह्रियमाणाश् च वारणा वरवारणैः ॥
उन्मथ्य पुनर् आजह्रुः प्रेरिताः परमाङ्कुशैः ॥
महामात्रा महामात्रैस् ताडिताः शरतोमरैः ॥
गजेभ्यः पृथिवीं जग्मुर् मुक्तप्रहरणाङ्कुशाः ॥
निर्मनुष्याश् च मातङ्गा विनदन्तस् ततस् ततः ॥
छिन्नाभ्राणीव संपेतुः संप्रविश्य परस्परम् ॥
हतान् परिवहन्तश् च यन्त्रिताः परमायुधैः ॥
दिशो जग्मुर् महानागाः के चिद् एकचरा इव ॥
pratīpaṃ hriyamāṇāś ca vāraṇā varavāraṇaiḥ ||
unmathya punar ājahruḥ preritāḥ paramāṅkuśaiḥ ||
mahāmātrā mahāmātrais tāḍitāḥ śaratomaraiḥ ||
gajebhyaḥ pṛthivīṃ jagmur muktapraharaṇāṅkuśāḥ ||
nirmanuṣyāś ca mātaṅgā vinadantas tatas tataḥ ||
chinnābhrāṇīva saṃpetuḥ saṃpraviśya parasparam ||
hatān parivahantaś ca yantritāḥ paramāyudhaiḥ ||
diśo jagmur mahānāgāḥ ke cid ekacarā iva ||
The elephants, driven back by mighty elephants, their ranks thrown into disorder, surged forward again, goaded by sharp stakes. The mahouts, struck down by enemy mahouts with arrows and darts, fell from the elephants to the ground, having dropped weapon and goad. And the elephants, left without drivers, trumpeting, rushed here and there like torn clouds, charging one upon another. Carrying the slain upon them, entangled in their war-gear, those huge elephants scattered in every direction, some like lone elephants wandering alone.
f20b4911c345 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:00:04 PM UTC
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Elephants that have lost their drivers rush about uncontrolled, colliding with one another -- a force that has lost its guidance turns upon itself. The image runs deep: a body without a directing mind hurtles blindly and sows destruction all around. It is telling that an elephant carrying its slain rider wanders "like a lone elephant" -- torn from the ranks and from purpose, it becomes a homeless wanderer. The verse teaches that power without a ruling principle is not a blessing but a calamity: left without a driver, it destroys friend and foe alike; that the reason which holds the reins matters more than the very strength it directs; and that a person who has lost the inner driver -- discernment guided by dharma -- is like such an elephant: formidable, yet blind, and dangerous above all to those nearest to him.