Shloka 27

Devanagari script

प्रमोह: सर्वसत्त्वानामतीव समपद्यत । रजसा चाभिशभूतानामस्त्रजालै श्व॒ तुद्यताम्‌,उस समय समस्त प्राणियोंपर बड़ा भारी मोह छा गया; क्योंकि वे धूलसे तो दबे ही थे, अस्त्रोंके समुदायसे भी पीड़ित हो रहे थे

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | pramohaḥ sarvasattvānām atīva samapadyata | rajasā cābhiśabhūtānām astrajālaiś ca tudyatām ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: A profound bewilderment fell upon all living beings. Overwhelmed by the dust and harried on every side by a net of weapons, they were struck and tormented amid the chaos of battle—so that clarity, discernment, and orderly conduct were eclipsed by the violence of war.

Word by Word

प्रमोहःbewilderment, delusion

सर्वसत्त्वानाम्of all beings

अतीवexceedingly, greatly

समपद्यतarose, came upon

रजसाby dust

चand

अभिशभूतानाम्of those who were overwhelmed/afflicted

अस्त्रजालैःby a net/mass of weapons

तुद्यताम्of those being struck/tormented

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

all beings (sarvasattvāḥ)

dust (rajas)

weapons/missiles (astra)

net/mass of weapons (astrajāla)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how war generates moha—collective confusion and loss of discernment—through sensory overwhelm (dust, noise, missiles). Ethically, it underscores that violence clouds judgment and makes right conduct difficult, reminding the listener that clarity and restraint are precious and easily lost amid conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the battlefield at a moment of intense fighting: dust rises everywhere and volleys of weapons crisscross like a net. Under this pressure, all creatures present become disoriented and distressed as they are struck and hemmed in by the onslaught.