Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 30
शल्यवधे कौरवसेनाभङ्गः, भीमस्य गदायुद्धं, दुर्योधनस्य समाह्वानम्
Rout after Śalya’s fall; Bhīma’s mace engagement; Duryodhana’s rally
उत्थितानि कबन्धानि समदृश्यन्त सर्वश:
utthitāni kabandhāni samadṛśyanta sarvaśaḥ
Sañjaya sprach: Überall sah man kopflose Rümpfe sich erheben—ein entsetzliches Bild der Verwüstung des Schlachtfeldes, wo die Gewalt des Krieges lebendige Leiber zu bloßen Überresten macht.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the grim consequence of adharma-driven violence: war dehumanizes and leaves only mutilation and loss, prompting reflection on the cost of conflict and the fragility of embodied life.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the terrifying battlefield scene where headless bodies are seen standing or rising everywhere, emphasizing the scale and horror of the slaughter.