Shloka 23
उपायैः पूर्ववधकथनम् / Strategic Justifications for Prior Eliminations
नरस्याश्वस्य नागस्य समसज्जत शोणितम्
narasyāśvasya nāgasya samasajjata śoṇitam
Sañjaya sprach: Das Blut von Menschen, Pferden und Elefanten gerann zusammen und vermischte sich zu einer einzigen Masse—ein Bild des unterschiedslosen Gemetzels auf dem Schlachtfeld, wo alle verkörperten Wesen, ungeachtet von Stärke oder Rang, gleichermaßen von der Gewalt des Krieges verzehrt werden.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the moral horror and indiscriminate nature of war: life-blood from humans and animals merges alike, suggesting that violence erases distinctions and burdens all participants with suffering, inviting reflection on dharma under the pressures of battle.
Sañjaya describes the battlefield aftermath with stark realism: blood from fallen or wounded men, horses, and elephants has pooled and coagulated together, conveying the intensity of the fighting and the scale of destruction.