Shloka 8
अर्जुनस्य द्रोणिप्रतिघातः कर्णोपसर्पणं च
Arjuna Checks Droṇaputra; Karṇa Advances
इति भूतानि तं शब्दं मेनिरे ते च विव्यथु: । यानि चाप्यल्पस त्त्वानि प्रायस्तानि मृतानि च
iti bhūtāni taṃ śabdaṃ menire te ca vivyathuḥ | yāni cāpy alpasattvāni prāyas tāni mṛtāni ca ||
Sañjaya said: Thus did all living beings perceive that thunderous sound, and they were shaken with fear. And those creatures whose vitality was slight—weak and fragile by nature—were for the most part struck down and died.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the indiscriminate reach of violence: the terror and shock of battle affect all beings, and the weakest suffer most. It implicitly cautions that adharma in war produces widespread harm beyond the intended opponents.
Sañjaya reports that a tremendous roar was heard; all creatures became frightened and agitated, and many frail beings died from the overwhelming impact of that sound and fear.