Shloka 46
Chapter 23: Śakuni Reports, Kaurava Advance, and Arjuna’s Penetration of the Host
भरतश्रेष्ठ! शूरवीरोंकी भुजाओंसे छूटी हुई शक्तियाँ शत्रुओंपर इस प्रकार गिरती थीं, मानो आकाशशसे तारे टूटकर पड़ रहे हों। कौरव-पाण्डवयोद्धाओंने इसे प्रत्यक्ष देखा था ।। ऋष्टिभिविमलाभि कक्ष तत्र तत्र विशाम्पते । सम्पतन्तीभिराकाशमावृतं बह्बशोभत,प्रजानाथ! वहाँ गिरती हुई निर्मल ऋष्टियोंसे व्याप्त हुए आकाशकी बड़ी शोभा हो रही थी
sañjaya uvāca |
ṛṣṭibhis vimalābhiḥ khaś ca tatra tatra viśāṃ pate |
sampatantībhir ākāśam āvṛtaṃ bahu śobhat, prajānātha ||
Sañjaya said: O lord of men, in many places the sky looked splendid as it became covered with spotless spears hurtling down. The warriors of both the Kauravas and the Pāṇḍavas witnessed these weapons, cast from mighty arms, falling upon their foes like stars breaking loose from the heavens—an awe-inspiring vision that revealed the terrible grandeur of war even as it consumed human life.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the paradox of war: even as martial prowess creates a visually magnificent spectacle, it is inseparable from destruction. It invites reflection on the ethical cost of heroism when expressed through violence.
Sañjaya describes the battlefield where countless bright spears, thrown by powerful warriors, fall through the sky in many places, making the heavens appear covered—like stars dropping from the sky—seen by both Kaurava and Pāṇḍava fighters.