Shloka 26

शस्त्राणां भरतश्रेष्ठ मनुष्याणां च गर्जताम्‌ | सुमहानभवच्छब्द: प्रेतानामिव भारत,भरतश्रेष्ठ! शस्त्रोंके आघात और मनुष्योंकी गर्जनाका महान्‌ शब्द भूत-प्रेतोंकी गर्जनाके समान जान पड़ता था

śastrāṇāṃ bharataśreṣṭha manuṣyāṇāṃ ca garjatām | sumahān abhavac chabdaḥ pretānām iva bhārata ||

Sañjaya said: O best of the Bharatas, as weapons struck and men roared, a tremendous din arose—like the howling of spirits among the dead.

शस्त्राणाम्of weapons
शस्त्राणाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootशस्त्र
FormNeuter, Genitive, Plural
भरतश्रेष्ठO best of the Bharatas
भरतश्रेष्ठ:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootभरत-श्रेष्ठ
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
मनुष्याणाम्of men
मनुष्याणाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootमनुष्य
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
गर्जताम्of (those) roaring
गर्जताम्:
Adhikarana
TypeVerb
Rootगर्ज्
FormPresent active participle, Masculine, Genitive, Plural
सुमहान्very great
सुमहान्:
TypeAdjective
Rootसु-महान्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
अभवत्was/arose
अभवत्:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormImperfect, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada
शब्दःsound, noise
शब्दः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशब्द
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
प्रेतानाम्of ghosts/spirits
प्रेतानाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootप्रेत
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
इवlike, as if
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
भारतO Bharata
भारत:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootभारत
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
D
Dhṛtarāṣṭra (implied by address: bharataśreṣṭha)
W
Weapons (śastra)
M
Men/warriors (manuṣya)
P
Pretas (departed spirits)

Educational Q&A

The verse underscores the moral gravity of war: when violence erupts, the human world begins to resemble the realm of death. The comparison to pretas highlights how warfare dehumanizes and fills the scene with fear, reminding the listener of the ethical cost and the proximity of death.

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the sensory intensity of the battle: the clash of weapons and the roaring of warriors combine into an immense, terrifying noise, likened to the cries of spirits—signaling that the fighting has become fierce and deadly.