Shloka 4
क्षेेडा: किलकिलाशब्दा: क्रकचा गोविषाणिका: । भेरीमृदड़मुरजा हयकुञ्जरनि:स्वना:,फिर तो दोनों सेनाओंमें सिंहनाद, किलकारियोंके शब्द, क्रकच, नरसिंहे, भेरी, मृदंग और ढोल आदि वाद्योंकी ध्वनि तथा घोड़ों और हाथियोंके गर्जनेके शब्द गूँजने लगे। पाण्डव सैनिक हमलोगोंपर टूट पड़े और हमलोगोंने भी विकट गर्जना करते हुए उनपर धावा बोल दिया। इस प्रकार अत्यन्त घोर युद्ध होने लगा
kheḍāḥ kilakilāśabdāḥ krakacā govīṣāṇikāḥ | bherīmṛdaṅgamurajā hayakuñjaraniḥsvanāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Then there arose a tumult of sounds—shouts and shrill cries, the harsh blare of instruments like the krakaca and the cow-horn trumpet, and the booming of kettledrums, mṛdaṅgas, and murajas—along with the thunderous neighing of horses and the roaring of elephants.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse does not give a direct moral injunction; its ethical force is contextual: it portrays how war rapidly becomes an overwhelming sensory and emotional storm. In the Mahābhārata’s dharma-discourse, such descriptions underscore the gravity of choosing war—once begun, it sweeps up individuals bound by duty, loyalty, and vows, making discernment and restraint difficult.
Sañjaya reports the opening surge of combat: battle-cries, instruments, drums, and the cries of horses and elephants rise together as the armies close. The verse functions as a soundscape of escalation, marking the transition from formation and readiness to active, fierce engagement.