Shloka 10
द्रोणपर्व — अध्याय १८: संशप्तकगणयुद्धे अर्जुनस्यास्त्रप्रयोगः
Drona Parva, Chapter 18: Arjuna’s astra-deployment against the Saṃśaptakas
(सा सेना भरतश्रेष्ठ निश्चेष्ठा शुशुभे तदा । चित्र पटे यथा न्यस्ता कुशलै: शिल्पिभिनरिे: ।। भरतश्रेष्ठ! वह निनश्वेष्ट हुई सेना ऐसी सुशोभित हुई, मानो कुशल कलाकारोंद्वारा चित्रपटमें अंकित की गयी हो। स्वनेन तेन सैन्यानां दिवमावृण्वता तदा । सस्वना पृथिवी सर्वा तथैव च महोदधि: ।। स्वनेन सर्वसैन्यानां कर्णास्तु बधिरीकृता: ।) सम्पूर्ण आकाशमें फैले हुए उस शंखनादने समूची पृथ्वी और महासागरको भी प्रतिध्वनित कर दिया। उस ध्वनिसे सम्पूर्ण सैनिकोंके कान बहरे हो गये। वाहास्तेषां विवृत्ताक्षा: स्तब्धकर्णशिरोधरा: । विष्टब्धचरणा मूत्र रुधिरं च प्रसुखुवु:,उनके घोड़े आँखें फाड़-फाड़कर देखने लगे। उनके कान और गर्दन स्तब्ध हो गये, चारों पैर अकड़ गये और वे मूत्रके साथ-साथ रुधिरका भी त्याग करने लगे
sā senā bharataśreṣṭha niśceṣṭā śuśubhe tadā | citrapaṭe yathā nyastā kuśalaiḥ śilpibhir nṛpaiḥ ||
svanena tena sainyānāṃ divam āvṛṇvatā tadā | sasvanā pṛthivī sarvā tathaiva ca mahodadhiḥ ||
svanena sarvasainyānāṃ karṇās tu badhirīkṛtāḥ |
vāhās teṣāṃ vivṛttākṣāḥ stabdhakarṇaśirodharāḥ | viṣṭabdhacaraṇā mūtraṃ rudhiraṃ ca prasusruvuḥ ||
Sañjaya said: O best of the Bharatas, at that moment the army stood motionless and yet appeared striking—like a scene carefully painted by skilled artists upon a canvas. That blare, spreading through the sky, made the whole earth resound, and the great ocean too echoed it. By that roar the ears of all the soldiers were as though deafened. Their mounts stared wide-eyed; their ears and necks stiffened, their legs locked, and they began to void urine and even blood.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the dehumanizing and all-pervading impact of war: a single martial roar can stun armies and terrify even animals, reminding the listener that violence spreads suffering beyond combatants and challenges ethical restraint.
Sañjaya describes a moment when a tremendous battle-sound (likely from conches and war-cries) fills the sky, echoes across earth and ocean, deafens the troops, and causes their mounts to freeze in panic and show physical distress.