Shloka 23

उपायैः पूर्ववधकथनम् / Strategic Justifications for Prior Eliminations

Devanagari script

नरस्याश्वस्य नागस्य समसज्जत शोणितम्‌

Transliteration

narasyāśvasya nāgasya samasajjata śoṇitam

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Darah manusia, kuda, dan gajah menggumpal bersama, melebur menjadi satu massa.

Word by Word

• नरस्य: of a man
• नरस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• अश्वस्य: of a horse
• अश्वस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• नागस्य: of an elephant
• नागस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• समसज्जत: clung together / became stuck
• समसज्जत: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: सञ्ज् (सम् + सञ्ज्)
• Form: Imperfect (Laṅ), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• शोणितम्: blood
• शोणितम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोणित
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• men (human warriors)
• horses
• elephants
• blood (śoṇita)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the moral horror and indiscriminate nature of war: life-blood from humans and animals merges alike, suggesting that violence erases distinctions and burdens all participants with suffering, inviting reflection on dharma under the pressures of battle.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the battlefield aftermath with stark realism: blood from fallen or wounded men, horses, and elephants has pooled and coagulated together, conveying the intensity of the fighting and the scale of destruction.