Shloka 42
युध्यतां तु तथा तेषां कुर्वतां कर्म दुष्करम् । अस्तं गिरिमथारूढे अप्रकाशति भास्करे,फिर तो वे सब योद्धा वेगसे युद्ध करते हुए दुष्कर पराक्रम प्रकट करने लगे। उसी समय सूर्य अस्ताचलको चले गये और उनका प्रकाश लुप्त हो गया। इस प्रकार संध्या होते- होते क्षणभरमें रक्तके प्रवाहसे परिपूर्ण भयानक नदी बह चली और उसके तटपर गीदड़ोंकी भीड़ जमा हो गयी
yudhyatāṃ tu tathā teṣāṃ kurvatāṃ karma duṣkaram | astaṃ girim athārūḍhe aprakāśati bhāskare ||
Sañjaya said: As those warriors fought on in that manner, displaying feats of arduous valor, the Sun mounted the mountain of setting and ceased to shine. With daylight withdrawn and evening closing in, the battlefield’s horror deepened—blood began to flow like a dreadful river, and along its banks gathered packs of jackals, drawn by the carnage.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral gravity of war: even when warriors display extraordinary prowess, the coming of sunset symbolizes the inevitable limit of human action and the dark consequences that follow violence—suggesting reflection on dharma and the true cost of heroic deeds.
Sañjaya describes the battle continuing fiercely as evening arrives. The Sun sets, light fades, and the battlefield becomes more terrifying—evoked through imagery of blood flowing like a river and scavengers gathering—marking the transition from day’s combat to dusk’s ominous aftermath.