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Shloka 31

तत्‌ प्रवृत्तं निशायुद्धं चिरें सममिवाभवत्‌

tat pravṛttaṃ niśāyuddhaṃ cireṇa samam ivābhavat

Sañjaya sprach: Jene Nachtschlacht, einmal begonnen, währte lange und schien im Verlauf wie ausgeglichen—ein unheilvolles Zeichen dafür, wie Dunkelheit und Raserei jeden klaren Vorteil aufheben und das Leiden beider Seiten verlängern können.

तत्that (battle)
तत्:
Karta
TypePronoun
Rootतद्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
प्रवृत्तम्having begun / set in motion
प्रवृत्तम्:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootप्रवृत्त (प्र + √वृत्)
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
निशायुद्धम्night-battle
निशायुद्धम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनिशा + युद्ध
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
चिरेणafter a long time / for long
चिरेण:
Karana
TypeAdjective
Rootचिर
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Singular
समम्equally / the same
समम्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसम
इवas if / like
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
अभवत्was / became
अभवत्:
TypeVerb
Root√भू
FormImperfect (Lan), 3rd, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
N
night-battle (niśāyuddha)

Educational Q&A

The verse underscores how warfare—especially when fought in darkness—can erase clarity and restraint, producing a grim equilibrium where neither side gains decisive moral or strategic advantage, and the conflict simply endures, multiplying harm.

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the fighting continued into the night; once the nocturnal combat began, it lasted a long time and appeared evenly balanced, with no clear victor emerging for a prolonged period.