Shloka 18
Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 58 — Arjuna’s Arrow-Storm and Relief of Bhīmasena
ततो युद्ध महाराज चक्षु:श्रोत्रभयानकम् | आसीदू घोर च चित्र च प्रेक्षणीयं समन््तत:
tato yuddhaṃ mahārāja cakṣuḥśrotrabhayānakam | āsīd ghoraṃ ca citraṃ ca prekṣaṇīyaṃ samantataḥ ||
Sañjaya dit : Alors, ô grand roi, la bataille éclata — terrifiante à voir des yeux et redoutable à entendre des oreilles. Elle était farouche et étrange sous mille formes, et pourtant, de toutes parts, elle forçait l’attention comme un spectacle de guerre.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the moral and psychological reality of war: it assaults both sight and hearing, producing fear and awe. By framing the battle as simultaneously dreadful and compelling to witness, it hints at the tragic fascination of violence and the heavy responsibility borne by rulers whose choices culminate in such devastation.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that a fierce, bewildering battle has erupted. He characterizes it as terrifying in sensory impact—what one sees and hears—yet unfolding on all sides as a dramatic spectacle.