Shloka 29
Adhyāya 110: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament on Fate; Saṃjaya’s Reproof and the Princes’ Assault on Bhīma (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय ११०)
उच्चावचास्तथा वाचो व्याजहार समन्ततः । निपेतुर्गगनाच्चैव शरधारा: सहस्रश:
uccāvacās tathā vāco vyājahāra samantataḥ | nipetur gaganāc caiva śaradhārāḥ sahasraśaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: From all sides, cries of many kinds—high and low, fierce and wavering—rang out; and from the sky itself, torrents of arrows fell in their thousands, as the battle’s fury swelled and overwhelmed all restraint.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how war amplifies confusion and suffering: many conflicting cries arise, and violence multiplies uncontrollably (symbolized by ‘torrents of arrows’). It implicitly cautions that once battle is unleashed, ethical restraint is easily drowned by collective frenzy.
Sañjaya describes the battlefield atmosphere: from every direction come varied shouts and cries, while massive volleys of arrows descend as if from the sky, indicating an intense phase of fighting with widespread missile exchanges.