Shloka 18
अध्याय ९१ — शैनेयस्य गजानीकभेदनं जलसंधवधश्च
Chapter 91: Sātyaki breaks the elephant array and slays Jalasaṃdha
सबाणवर्माभरणा: सगदा: साड्भदा रणे | महाभुजगसंकाशा बाहव: परिघोपमा:,अर्जुनके श्रेष्ठ बाणोंसे कटी हुई वीरोंकी परिघके समान मोटी और महान् सर्पके समान दिखायी देनेवाली भिन्दिपाल, प्रास, शक्ति, ऋष्टि, फरसे, निर्व्यूह, खड्ग, धनुष, तोमर, बाण, कवच, आभूषण, गदा और भुजबंद आदिसे युक्त भुजाएँ आवेशमें भरकर अपना महान् वेग प्रकट करती, ऊपरको उछलती, छटपटाती और सब प्रकारकी चेष्टाएँ करती थीं
sa-bāṇa-varmābharaṇāḥ sa-gadāḥ sa-ḍhvadā raṇe | mahā-bhujaga-saṅkāśā bāhavaḥ parighopamāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: In that battle, arms of warriors were seen severed by Arjuna’s finest shafts—still pierced with arrows, still bearing armour and ornaments; some still clenched maces and standards. Thick like iron clubs and resembling great serpents, they sprang upward with violent momentum, writhed and quivered, showing many involuntary motions as life and strength ebbed away. The sight reveals the dreadful cost of war: even heroic prowess and splendid martial gear are brought down to suffering and ruin when dharma is pursued through slaughter.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the grim reality of warfare: martial glory and bodily strength are fragile, and even the mighty are reduced to suffering. It implicitly warns that dharma pursued through battle carries heavy human cost, demanding sobriety and ethical reflection rather than triumphalism.
Sañjaya describes the battlefield aftermath where warriors’ arms—still adorned with armour and ornaments and sometimes holding weapons—have been cut off by Arjuna’s excellent arrows. These severed arms are compared to heavy iron clubs and great serpents as they jerk, writhe, and leap due to residual force.