Mahabharata 9.23.18 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 23, Shloka 18
Chapter 23: Śakuni Reports, Kaurava Advance, and Arjuna’s Penetration of the Host
विनदत्सु च योधेषु शड्खवर्य श्व पूरितै: । उत्क्ुष्टे: सिंहनादैश्व गर्जितिश्वव धन्विनाम्
sañjaya uvāca |
vinadatsu ca yodheṣu śaṅkhavaryaiḥ sva-pūritaiḥ |
utkruṣṭaiḥ siṃhanādaiś ca garjitaiś ca dhanvinām ||
সঞ্জয় বললেন—যখন যোদ্ধারা গর্জে উঠল, উৎকৃষ্ট শঙ্খ পূর্ণ জোরে ধ্বনিত হল, আর ধনুর্ধরদের হুঙ্কার, সিংহনাদ ও ভয়ংকর গর্জনে রণক্ষেত্র মুখরিত হয়ে উঠল।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how war can slip beyond maryādā (ethical restraint): the outward signs of heroism—conches, roars, and shouts—can accompany an inner collapse of dharma when violence becomes unbounded, foreshadowing ruin.
Sañjaya describes the battlefield at a peak of intensity: warriors are shouting, conches are blown powerfully, and archers roar and bellow. The scene signals that the fighting has escalated into a ruthless phase, setting the stage for grievous destruction and ominous developments.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Mahabharata in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.