Shloka 183
Cakravyūha-saṃkalpaḥ, Saṃśaptaka-āhvānaṃ, Saubhadra-vikrīḍitam
Drona Parva, Adhyāya 32
ह्वीमन््त: कालसम्पर्कात् सुदुःखान्यनुशेरते । बड़े-बड़े राजा कालसंयोगसे अत्यन्त दुःखदायिनी तथा गीधकी पाँखरूपी बिछौनोंसे युक्त शय्याओंपर लज्जापूर्वक सो रहे थे
hvīmantāḥ kālasamparkāt suduḥkhāny anuśerate |
قال سنجيا: بفعل ملامسة الزمان (القدر) القاسية، اضطجعوا في أحوال بالغة الإيلام—ملوكٌ عظام أذلّتهم الظروف، ينامون خجلاً على فرشٍ كأنها من ريش النسور الرخمة، حتى كأن موضع الراحة نفسه يعلن الخراب الذي جلبته الحرب.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the overpowering force of Kāla (Time/Fate): worldly status like kingship collapses under war’s consequences, and pride gives way to shame and suffering—highlighting impermanence and the ethical weight of violent conflict.
Sañjaya reports the aftermath-like condition of great kings: due to the turn of Time, they are reduced to sleeping in miserable, degrading circumstances (beds likened to vulture-feathers), conveying exhaustion, defeat, and humiliation within the war setting.