Shloka 18
Droṇa’s Withdrawal, Death, and the Kaurava Rout (द्रोणनिधन-प्रसङ्गः)
सर्वस्तु सेना व्यतिसेव्यमाना: पदातिभि: पावकतैलहस्तै: । प्रकाश्यमाना ददृशुर्निशायां यथान्तरिक्षे जलदास्तडिद्धिः
sarvastu senā vyatisevyamānāḥ padātibhiḥ pāvaka-taila-hastaiḥ | prakāśyamānā dadṛśur niśāyāṃ yathāntarikṣe jaladās taḍiddhiḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Seluruh bala tentara, yang dilayani rapat oleh para prajurit berjalan kaki dengan api dan minyak di tangan, tampak jelas pada malam hari—laksana awan di angkasa yang tersinari kilat.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral atmosphere of war: even at night, the compulsion to remain alert forces men to create light through fire and oil. It suggests how conflict erodes natural rest and safety, replacing them with constant watchfulness and anxiety.
Sañjaya describes the battlefield at night: infantrymen move about with fire and oil, tending to and accompanying the forces so that the whole army becomes visible. The army’s appearance is compared to clouds in the sky illuminated by lightning.