Shloka 54
Chapter 23: Śakuni Reports, Kaurava Advance, and Arjuna’s Penetration of the Host
भूमौ निपतिताश्चान्ये बहवो विजयैषिण: । तत्र तत्र व्यदृश्यन्त पुरुषा: शूरमानिन:
bhūmau nipatitāścānye bahavo vijayaiṣiṇaḥ | tatra tatra vyadṛśyanta puruṣāḥ śūramāninaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Many others too, driven by the desire for victory, had fallen upon the ground. Here and there they were seen—men who had prided themselves on being heroes—now strewn across the battlefield, their boastful valor brought to a grim end.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the ethical irony of war: those who chase victory and take pride in heroism are still subject to sudden downfall. It cautions against overconfidence and reminds that ambition and self-image cannot shield one from the consequences of violence and fate on the battlefield.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the दृश्य (scene) of the battlefield: many warriors, intent on winning, have been struck down and lie scattered in different places. The line paints a stark tableau of bodies ‘here and there,’ emphasizing the scale and indiscriminate devastation of the fighting.