Shloka 8
भीमसेनस्य कौरवसुतवधः तथा श्रुतर्वावधः
Slaying of Kaurava princes and the fall of Śrutarvā
दुद्रुवु: केचिदुत्सृज्य तत्र तत्र विशाम्पते । बहवोऊत्र भृशं विद्धा मुहामाना महारथा:
sañjaya uvāca |
dudruvuḥ kecid utsṛjya tatra tatra viśāmpate |
bahavo 'tra bhṛśaṃ viddhā muhyamānā mahārathāḥ ||
Sañjaya dijo: “Oh señor del pueblo, algunos huyeron presa del pánico, abandonando sus puestos aquí y allá. Muchos grandes guerreros de carro, atravesados con gravedad, iban perdiendo el sentido, abatidos por el golpe de las flechas de Arjuna. La escena revela que, cuando el miedo y el dolor se apoderan de la mente, aun los poderosos pueden olvidar el deber y dispersarse, dejando atrás a sus compañeros.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how fear and injury can shatter resolve: even renowned warriors may abandon positions and comrades when the mind is overwhelmed. Implicitly it contrasts steadfastness in dharma with the moral and psychological collapse that war can induce.
Sañjaya reports to the king that, under intense assault, some fighters flee in different directions, leaving others behind. Many elite chariot-warriors are badly wounded and begin to faint, struck down by the force of Arjuna’s arrows.