Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 2536
Adhyāya 14: Śalya’s Missile-Pressure and the Pāṇḍava Convergence (शल्यस्य शरवर्षम्)
शस्त्राणां सड़मश्वनैव घोरस्तत्राभवत् पुन: । महाराज! बहुत देरतक तो उन दोनोंका युद्ध एक-सा चलता रहा। फिर उनमें वहाँ अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंका घोर संघर्ष आरम्भ हो गया
sañjaya uvāca |
śastrāṇāṃ saḍamaśvanā iva ghoras tatrābhavat punaḥ |
Sañjaya said: “There again, O King, a dreadful tumult arose there—like the roaring of horses—born of the clash of weapons. For a long while the combat between the two had continued evenly; then the fierce collision of missiles and arms began in earnest.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the grim reality of war: when evenly matched warriors persist, the conflict escalates into a terrifying, impersonal clash of weapons. It implicitly invites reflection on kṣatriya duty versus the human cost and dread inherent in battle.
Sañjaya reports to the king that the fight between two opponents had continued for a long time on equal terms; then the battle intensified, and a dreadful uproar arose from the violent collision of weapons, compared to the roaring or rushing sound of horses.
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