Shloka 38

Devanagari script

बाहुभिश्षचापरे छिन्नैः पार्श्ेषु च विदारिता: । क्रन्दन्त: समदृश्यन्त तृषिता जीवितेप्सव:,भारत! बहुतोंकी आँतें बाहर निकलकर बिखर गयी थीं, जाँघें टूट गयी थीं, कितनोंकी बाहें कट गयी थीं, बहुतोंकी पसलियाँ फट गयी थीं और कितने ही घायल अवस्थामें प्याससे पीड़ित हो जीवनके लोभसे रोते दिखायी देते थे

Transliteration

bāhubhiś cāpare chinnaiḥ pārśveṣu ca vidāritāḥ | krandantaḥ samadṛśyanta tṛṣitā jīvitepsavaḥ, bhārata |

Translation

Sañjaya sprach: Andere sah man mit abgehauenen Armen, mit aufgerissenen Flanken und zerrissenen Rippen; sie schrien vor Qual, von Durst versengt, und klammerten sich doch an das Leben—o Bhārata—und offenbarten so den düsteren moralischen Preis des Krieges, in dem der Überlebensdrang selbst im völligen Verderben fortbesteht.

Word by Word

बाहुभिःwith arms

चand

अपरेothers

छिन्नैःwith severed (ones)

पार्श्वेषुin/on the sides (ribs/flanks)

चand

विदारिताःtorn asunder

क्रन्दन्तःcrying, wailing

समदृश्यन्तwere seen/appeared

तृषिताःthirsty

जीवितेप्सवःdesiring life

भारतO Bharata

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra (addressed as Bhārata)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the ethical gravity of war: even amid horrific mutilation, beings cling to life. It invites reflection on dharma and the human cost behind martial glory, stirring compassion and sobriety about violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the battlefield scene: many warriors lie grievously wounded—arms cut off, sides torn—crying out, tormented by thirst, yet still yearning to survive.