Shloka 23
गौरुडव्यूह-रचना तथा अर्धचन्द्र-प्रत्यव्यूह
Garuḍa Array and the Ardhacandra Counter-Formation
तस्मिन्नत्याकुले युद्धे दारुणे लोमहर्षणे
tasminn atyākule yuddhe dāruṇe lomaharṣaṇe | jighāṃsantaṃ yudhāṃ śreṣṭha tadā āsīt tumulaṃ mahat ||
সঞ্জয় বললেন—রাজন্! সেই অতিশয় বিশৃঙ্খল, নিষ্ঠুর ও লোমহর্ষক যুদ্ধে, যখন যোদ্ধাদের শ্রেষ্ঠকে বধ করতে তারা তার উপর ঝাঁপিয়ে পড়ল, তখন এক মহা ও তুমুল যুদ্ধ শুরু হল।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the moral gravity of war: once the intent becomes outright killing of the foremost warrior, the battlefield turns into uncontrolled turmoil. It highlights how quickly conflict escalates when protection of allies and the urge to eliminate a key opponent dominate judgment.
Sañjaya describes a moment in the Bhīṣma-focused war narrative where the fighting becomes extremely chaotic and terrifying. With warriors pressing forward intending to slay the leading fighter, a massive, tumultuous engagement erupts.