Shloka 20
Nārāyaṇāstra-utpātaḥ — Aśvatthāman’s Rallying Roar after Droṇa’s Fall (द्रोणपर्व, अध्याय १६७)
निशीथे तुरगा राजन् द्रावयन्त: परस्परम् । समदृश्यन्त वेगेन पक्षवन्तो यथाउद्रय:
niśīthe turaṅgā rājan drāvayantaḥ parasparam | samadṛśyanta vegena pakṣavantaḥ yathā udrayāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “At the dead of night, O King, the horses, driving one another on in their rush, appeared—by the sheer force of their speed—like winged creatures. In that darkness, the frenzy of battle made even ordinary steeds seem to transcend their nature, as if war itself had given them wings.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how the intensity of conflict distorts perception: in the darkness and urgency of war, speed and fear make ordinary things appear extraordinary. Ethically, it underscores war’s power to overwhelm clarity and normal judgment, reminding the listener that violence creates a world where discernment is easily lost.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that, at midnight, the horses were being driven hard and seemed to race so swiftly that they looked like winged beings. It is a vivid battlefield image emphasizing the nocturnal chaos and relentless momentum of the fighting.