Shloka 163
Adhyāya 14: Śalya’s Missile-Pressure and the Pāṇḍava Convergence (शल्यस्य शरवर्षम्)
समदृश्यन्त पार्थस्य रथमार्गेषु भारत । भारत! महाभाग! अर्जुनके रथके मार्गोमें धरतीपर गिरते हुए रथके पहियों
saṃdadṛśyanta pārthasya rathamārgeṣu bhārata | bhārata mahābhāga arjunasya rathasya mārgeṣu pṛthivyāṃ patantīnāṃ rathacakrāṇāṃ yūnām iṣudhīnām patākānāṃ dhvajānāṃ rathānāṃ harasānām anukarṣāṇāṃ triveṇunāmaka-kāṣṭhānāṃ dhurāṇāṃ rajjūnāṃ prahārakāṇāṃ kuṇḍalavatāṃ śirobhir uṣṇīṣadhāriṇāṃ mastakaiḥ bāhubhiḥ skandhaiḥ chatraiḥ vyajanaiḥ mukuṭaiś ca śataśo dhairyaṃ dṛśyante sma
Sañjaya sprach: O Bhārata, o Hochbegnadeter — entlang der Spuren von Pārthas Wagen lagen auf der Erde Haufen um Haufen dessen, was in der Flucht zu Boden gegangen war: Wagenräder, Joche, Köcher, Banner und Standarten, zerbrochene Wagen, Waffen und Schleppseile, hölzerne Beschläge, die man triveṇu nennt, Achsen, Stricke und Peitschen; ja selbst abgeschlagene Köpfe mit Ohrringen und Turbanen, Arme und Schultern, dazu Sonnenschirme, Fächer und Kronen. Das Bild bezeugte die überwältigende Wucht von Arjunas Vorstoß und den grimmigen Preis der Kriegswut.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the stark reality of war: even royal splendor—crowns, parasols, banners—becomes scattered debris, highlighting impermanence and the heavy human cost that accompanies martial success.
Sañjaya describes to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the aftermath along Arjuna’s chariot path: broken chariot parts and fallen weapons mixed with severed, ornamented body parts and royal emblems, indicating Arjuna’s devastating advance through the enemy ranks.