Shloka 21
Adhyāya 92: Irāvanta-śoka, punaḥ-pravṛttiḥ saṅgrāmasya
Arjuna’s grief and the battle’s renewed intensity
त्रिधाभूतैरवध्यन्त पाण्डवै: कौरवा युधि । तथैव कौरवै राजन्नवध्यन्त परे रणे,राजन! पाण्डवोंने तीन दलोंमें विभक्त होकर कौरवोंका वध आरम्भ किया। इसी प्रकार कौरव भी रणभूमिमें शत्रुओंका नाश करने लगे
tridhābhūtair avadhyanta pāṇḍavaiḥ kauravā yudhi | tathaiva kauravai rājan avadhyanta pare raṇe ||
Wahai Raja, para Pāṇḍava yang terbagi menjadi tiga formasi mulai menewaskan kaum Kaurava di medan laga; demikian pula kaum Kaurava, di pertempuran besar itu, mulai membinasakan musuh-musuh mereka.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the symmetry and inevitability of violence once war begins: each side both kills and is killed. Ethically, it points to the tragic cycle where adherence to factional duty in battle produces mirrored suffering, reminding the listener that victory and loss are intertwined with grave human cost.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Pāṇḍavas, arranged in three divisions, are killing Kaurava warriors; simultaneously, the Kauravas are also killing their enemies on the battlefield. It is a concise battlefield update emphasizing intense, two-sided slaughter.