Shloka 20
भीमसेनस्य प्रतिघातः—भगदत्तगजप्रहारः—घटोत्कचमायायुद्धम्
Bhīma’s Counteroffensive, Bhagadatta’s Elephant Assault, and Ghaṭotkaca’s Māyā Engagement
हयौघाश्र रथौघाश्ष तत्र तत्र विशाम्पते
hayaughāś ca rathaughāś ca tatra tatra viśāmpate
Sañjaya said: “O lord of men, there were masses of horses and masses of chariots—here and there across the field.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse is primarily descriptive rather than doctrinal: it conveys the overwhelming scale and dispersion of military forces. Ethically, it underscores how war amplifies material power (horses, chariots, numbers) and the resulting chaos, setting the stage for reflection on the human cost and the responsibilities of rulers.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra what he ‘sees’ on the battlefield: large concentrations of horses and chariots are spread throughout different parts of the field, indicating intense, widespread engagement and movement of troops.