Shloka 9

अध्याय ९१ — शैनेयस्य गजानीकभेदनं जलसंधवधश्च

Chapter 91: Sātyaki breaks the elephant array and slays Jalasaṃdha

Devanagari script

तपनीयतनुत्राणा: संसिक्ता रुधिरेण च । संसक्ता इव दृश्यन्ते मेघसंघा: सविद्युत:,सुवर्णमय कवच धारण किये और खूनसे लथपथ हो एक-दूसरेसे सटे हुए हताहत योद्धाओंके शरीर विद्युत्सहित मेघसमूहोंके समान दिखायी देते थे

Transliteration

tapanīya-tanutrāṇāḥ saṃsiktā rudhireṇa ca | saṃsaktā iva dṛśyante megha-saṃghāḥ sa-vidyutaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: The fallen warriors, clad in golden cuirasses and drenched in blood, lay pressed close together; they looked like dense masses of clouds streaked with lightning—splendor and terror mingled in one battlefield sight.

Word by Word

तपनीयतनुत्राणाःhaving golden body-armor (golden cuirasses)

संसिक्ताःsmeared/drenched

रुधिरेणwith blood

चand

संसक्ताःclinging together/closely packed

इवas if/like

दृश्यन्तेare seen/appear

मेघसङ्घाःmasses/groups of clouds

सविद्युतःwith lightning

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

golden armor (tapanīya-tanutrāṇa)

blood (rudhira)

cloud-masses with lightning (megha-saṃgha sa-vidyut)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the moral paradox of war: outward brilliance (golden armor) coexists with inner horror (blood and death). It invites reflection on the cost of conflict and the fragility of embodied life amid pursuits of victory.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra a vivid battlefield scene: warriors wearing golden cuirasses have been struck down and lie close together, their blood-soaked bodies resembling thundercloud clusters lit by lightning.