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Shloka 10

Vāsudeva-Māhātmya: Duryodhana’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Theological Account of Keśava

पतितान्युत्तमाज़ानि बाहवश्न विभूषिता: । व्यचेष्टन्त महीं प्राप्प शतशो5थ सहस्रश:,सैनिकोंके सैकड़ों-हजारों मस्तक तथा स्वर्ण-भूषित भुजाएँ कट-कटकर पृथ्वीपर गिरने और तड़पने लगीं

patitāny uttamāṅgāni bāhavaś ca vibhūṣitāḥ | vyaceṣṭanta mahīṃ prāpya śataśo ’tha sahasraśaḥ ||

Sañjaya sprach: Hunderte und Tausende gefallener Köpfe und goldgeschmückter Arme, im Kampf abgehauen, schlugen auf die Erde und zuckten dort noch—ein Bild der unerbittlichen Gewalt des Krieges und des schrecklichen Preises, den Krieger beider Seiten zahlen.

पतितानिfallen
पतितानि:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootपतित (√पत्)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Plural
उत्तमाङ्गानिheads (lit. best limbs)
उत्तमाङ्गानि:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootउत्तमाङ्ग
FormNeuter, Nominative, Plural
बाहवःarms
बाहवः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootबाहु
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
विभूषिताःadorned
विभूषिताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootविभूषित (वि+√भूष्)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
व्यचेष्टन्तwrithed/struggled
व्यचेष्टन्त:
TypeVerb
Rootवि+√चेष्ट्
FormImperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Plural
महीम्the earth/ground
महीम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootमही
FormFeminine, Accusative, Singular
प्राप्यhaving reached
प्राप्य:
TypeVerb
Rootप्र+√आप्
FormAbsolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)
शतशःby hundreds
शतशः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootशतशस्
अथthen/and
अथ:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअथ
सहस्रशःby thousands
सहस्रशः:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसहस्रशस्

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
E
earth (mahī)
S
severed heads (uttamāṅga)
O
ornamented arms (vibhūṣita bāhu)

Educational Q&A

The verse underscores the grim reality and moral weight of war: even valor and royal adornment cannot shield the body from destruction, reminding the listener of impermanence and the heavy consequences that accompany armed conflict and kṣatriya warfare.

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the battlefield scene where severed heads and jewel-adorned arms have fallen to the ground in vast numbers and are described as still twitching or writhing after being cut down.