Shloka 16
कर्णस्य दानप्रतिज्ञा–शल्योपदेश–वाक्ययुद्धम्
Karna’s Gift-Vows, Shalya’s Counsel, and the Battle of Words
मुहूर्तमेव तद् युद्धमासीन्म धुरदर्शनम् । तत उन्मत्तवद् राजन् निर्मर्यादमवर्तत,राजन! दो ही घड़ीतक वह युद्ध देखनेमें मधुर जान पड़ा। फिर तो वहाँ उन्मत्तके समान मर्यादाशून्य बर्ताव होने लगा
sañjaya uvāca | muhūrtam eva tad yuddham āsīn madhuradarśanam | tata unmatta-vad rājan nirmaryādam avartata ||
Sañjaya said: “O King, for only a brief while that battle appeared pleasing to behold. Thereafter, O King, it turned into something like madness—conduct without restraint or boundary prevailed.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when war may momentarily seem ‘splendid’ or aesthetically impressive, it quickly reveals its true nature: a descent into unrestrained, boundary-breaking violence. The verse highlights the ethical warning that fascination with battle’s spectacle can mask the collapse of maryādā (moral restraint).
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the fighting initially looked impressive for a short time, but soon the combatants’ behavior became like madness—order and restraint gave way to uncontrolled, lawless conduct on the battlefield.