Shloka 3
Kuru-Sainika-Āśvāsana and Vijayaghoṣaṇa
Reassuring the Kuru Soldiers; Proclaiming Victory
नदद्धरिश्व महानागैहल्वेषमाणैश्न वाजिभि: | भेरीशड्खनिनादैश्व स शब्दस्तुमुलो5भवत्
nadad-dhariśva-mahānāgaiḥ helveṣamāṇaiś ca vājibhiḥ | bherī-śaṅkha-ninādaiś ca sa śabdas tumulo 'bhavat ||
Vaiśampāyana said: With the trumpeting of great war-elephants, the neighing of horses, and the blare of kettledrums and conches, the combined sounds swelled into a tremendous uproar across the battlefield—an audible sign that armed conflict had fully gathered its force and momentum.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse is primarily descriptive rather than doctrinal: it highlights how collective martial instruments and animals create an overwhelming battlefield din, underscoring the gravity of impending violence and the need for steadiness and discernment amid chaos.
As forces assemble, war-elephants trumpet, horses neigh, and drums and conches are sounded; their combined noise rises into a great tumult on the battlefield, signaling the escalation toward open combat.