Shloka 14
Adhyāya 18 — Sequential Duels and Formation Pressure
Ulūka–Yuyutsu; Śakuni–Sutasoma; Kṛpa–Dhṛṣṭadyumna; Kṛtavarmā–Śikhaṇḍin
सारोहास्तुरगा: पेतुर्बहवो<र्जुनताडिता: । निर्जिद्वान्त्रा: क्षितौ क्षीणा रुधिरार्द्रा: सुदुर्दूश:,अर्जुनके मारे हुए बहुसंख्यक घोड़े और घुड़सवार पृथ्वीपर क्षत-विक्षत होकर पड़े थे। उनकी जीभ तथा आँतें बाहर निकल आयी थीं। वे खूनसे लथपथ हो रहे थे। उनकी ओर देखना अत्यन्त कठिन हो गया था
sārohāsturagāḥ peturbahavo 'rjunatāḍitāḥ | nirjidvāntarāḥ kṣitau kṣīṇā rudhirārdrāḥ sudurdṛśāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Many horsemen and horses, struck down by Arjuna, fell to the ground—mangled and exhausted, their tongues and entrails spilling out, drenched in blood, a sight almost impossible to behold. The narration underscores the terrible cost of battle, where prowess achieves victory through scenes that test the limits of human endurance and moral sensibility.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the grim reality of righteous war (kṣatriya-dharma): even when undertaken for a cause, combat produces horrific suffering. It invites reflection on the ethical weight of victory and the human cost that accompanies martial duty.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Arjuna has struck down large numbers of enemy horses and horsemen. They lie on the ground torn and blood-soaked, with tongues and entrails protruding—an appalling battlefield scene.