Shloka 14
अध्याय ३१ — द्रोणानीके तुमुलसंग्रामः
The Tumultuous Battle around Droṇa’s Formation
प्राकम्पतेव पृथिवी तस्मिन् वीरावसादने । निवर्तता बलौघेन महता भारपीडिता,वीरोंका विनाश करनेवाले उस युद्धमें लौटते हुए विशाल सैनिकसमूहके महान् भारसे पीड़ित हो यह पृथ्वी काँपने-सी लगी
prākampateva pṛthivī tasmin vīrāvasādane | nivartatā balaughena mahatā bhārapīḍitā ||
Sañjaya sprach: In jener Schlacht, die den Sturz der Helden herbeiführte, schien die Erde zu beben—zermalmt unter der ungeheuren Last der gewaltigen Heeresmasse, als sie sich zurückwandte.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse conveys the moral and cosmic weight of war: mass violence and the movement of armies are portrayed as a burden upon the earth itself, suggesting that adharma-driven destruction disturbs the natural order and carries grave ethical consequences.
Sanjaya describes a moment on the battlefield where a huge body of troops turns back (retreats or wheels about). Their sheer numbers and weight make the ground seem to shake, emphasizing the scale and intensity of the hero-slaying conflict.