Shloka 20
भीष्मशिबिरगमनम् — Duryodhana’s Visit to Bhīṣma’s Camp and the Command Appeal
क्रोडै: कोडानभिष्नन्तो घोणाभिश्न परस्परम् | निपेतु: सहसा राजन् सुवेगाभिहता भुवि
sañjaya uvāca | kroḍaiḥ koḍān abhiṣṇanto ghoṇābhiś ca parasparam | nipetuḥ sahasā rājan suvegābhihatā bhuvi ||
Wahai Raja, mereka saling menghantam dada dengan dada dan moncong dengan moncong. Dihantam oleh daya lari mereka sendiri yang amat kencang, mereka mendadak roboh ke tanah.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how in war, sheer speed and aggression can rebound upon the aggressor: uncontrolled force becomes self-destructive, reminding the listener that violence often carries its own immediate consequences.
Sanjaya describes a chaotic moment in the Kurukshetra battle where horses, rushing into opposing ranks, collide chest-to-chest and muzzle-to-muzzle, and then, overwhelmed by the impact and momentum, suddenly tumble to the ground.