Shloka 11
अध्याय ९९ — युयुधान-दुःशासन-युद्धम्
Chapter 99: Sātyaki and Duḥśāsana’s engagement
असिचर्माणि चापानि शिरांसि कवचानि च । विप्रकीर्यन्त शूराणां सम्प्रहारे महात्मनाम्,उन महामनस्वी वीरोंके संग्राममें योद्धाओंके खड्ग, ढाल, धनुष, मस्तक और कवच कटकर इधर-उधर बिखरे जाते थे
asicarmāṇi cāpāni śirāṃsi kavacāni ca | viprakīryanta śūrāṇāṃ samprahāre mahātmanām ||
Sañjaya said: In the fierce clash of those great-souled warriors, swords and shields, bows, heads, and armor were hewn apart and scattered in all directions—an image of battle’s terrible momentum, where valor and violence alike culminate in dismemberment and ruin.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the grim reality of war: even among 'great-souled' heroes, combat results in destruction of bodies and arms. It invites reflection on the ethical weight of kṣatriya-duty—valor and resolve are praised, yet the narrative does not conceal the human cost.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that in the intense hand-to-hand fighting, weapons and protective gear—and even severed heads—were cut down and scattered across the battlefield, conveying the ferocity and chaos of the encounter.