Shloka 40
परित्यज्य प्रियानन्ये बान्धवान् बान्धवप्रिया: । व्युत्क्रान्ता: समदृश्यन्त तत्र तत्र महारणे,'श्रेष्ठ वीर अर्जुन! उधर देखो, कुछ लोग पानी पीकर मर गये और कुछ लोग पीते-पीते ही अपने प्राण खो बैठे। कितने ही बान्धवजनोंके प्रेमी सैनिक अपने प्रिय बान्धवोंको छोड़कर उस महासमरमें जहाँ-तहाँ प्राणशून्य हुए दिखायी देते हैं
sañjaya uvāca | parityajya priyān anye bāndhavān bāndhavapriyāḥ | vyutkrāntāḥ samadṛśyanta tatra tatra mahāraṇe ||
Sañjaya said: In that vast and terrible battle, some—though deeply devoted to their kinsmen—were seen lying lifeless here and there, having abandoned their beloved relatives. The scene reveals how war severs even the strongest bonds of affection, turning love of family into grief and helplessness amid the collapse of life and duty.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the tragic cost of war: even those most attached to family ties cannot preserve them amid mass violence. Affection and kinship, normally sources of support, become powerless before death, highlighting impermanence and the ethical weight of choosing war.
Sañjaya describes the battlefield scene to the listener: many fighters who loved their relatives are now seen dead in various places, having left behind their dear kinsmen. It is a report of widespread casualties and the disintegration of family lines in the great combat.