ततः स शरजालेन महताभ्यवकीर्य तौ ॥
चोदयाम् आस तं नागं वधायाच्युतपार्थयोः ॥
तम् आपतन्तं द्विरदं दृष्ट्वा क्रुद्धम् इवान्तकम् ॥
चक्रे ऽपसव्यं त्वरितः स्यन्दनेन जनार्दनः ॥
संप्राप्तम् अपि नेयेष परावृत्तं महाद्विपम् ॥
सारोहं मृत्युसात् कर्तुं स्मरन् धर्मं धनंजयः ॥
tataḥ sa śarajālena mahatābhyavakīrya tau ||
codayām āsa taṃ nāgaṃ vadhāyācyutapārthayoḥ ||
tam āpatantaṃ dviradaṃ dṛṣṭvā kruddham ivāntakam ||
cakre 'pasavyaṃ tvaritaḥ syandanena janārdanaḥ ||
saṃprāptam api neyeṣa parāvṛttaṃ mahādvipam ||
sārohaṃ mṛtyusāt kartuṃ smaran dharmaṃ dhanaṃjayaḥ ||
Then he, Bhagadatta, having covered both of them with an exceedingly great web of arrows, drove that elephant on to slay Achyuta and Partha. Catching sight of that elephant bearing down like enraged Death itself, Janardana swiftly turned his chariot to the left. But even the great elephant that had overtaken them, once it had turned away, Dhananjaya, together with its rider, was unwilling to deliver to death, bearing dharma in mind.
226bac9e03d7 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:11:21 PM UTC
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Here is the heart of the chapter: Arjuna, able to slay the elephant along with its rider, does not do so, "bearing dharma in mind" -- for the elephant has turned away, and to strike one who has turned away is against the rules of honor. Even in mortal danger he does not transgress the law of battle. It is significant that Krishna turns the chariot to the left, giving Arjuna time and not forcing him into a dishonorable blow. The verse teaches that dharma stands above victory and above life itself: a warrior of honor does not strike one who has turned away, even when that one threatens him with death; that keeping the rule in the hour of mortal danger is harder and more worthy than keeping it in safety; and that true greatness lies not in winning at any cost but in not losing one's honor even at the risk of defeat, for one who stains dharma to save himself loses more than life.