Shloka 78

Devanagari script

तथा परैर्बहुकरणैर्वरायुधै- हता गता: प्रतिभयदर्शना: क्षितिम्‌ विपोथिता हयगजपादताडिता भूशाकुला रथमुखनेमिश्रि: क्षता:,शत्रुओंके पास बहुत-से साधन थे। उनके हाथमें उत्तम अस्त्र-शस्त्र थे। उनके द्वारा मारे जाकर पृथ्वीपर पड़े हुए सैनिक बड़े भयंकर दिखायी देते थे। कितने ही योद्धा हाथियों और घोड़ोंके पैरोंसे आहत होकर धरतीपर गिर पड़ते थे। कितने ही बड़े-बड़े रथोंके पहियोंसे कुचलकर क्षत-विक्षत हो अत्यन्त व्याकुल हो रहे थे

Transliteration

tathā parair bahukaraṇair varāyudhair hatā gatāḥ pratibhayadarśanāḥ kṣitim | vipothitā hayagajapādatāḍitā bhūśākulā rathamukhanemiśriḥ kṣatāḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya berkata: Demikianlah, dipukul jatuh oleh musuh—yang memiliki banyak sarana perang dan senjata-senjata unggul—para prajurit tergeletak di bumi, mengerikan untuk dipandang. Sebagian roboh setelah terinjak dan dihantam oleh kaki kuda serta gajah; sebagian lagi remuk di bawah bibir dan bagian depan roda kereta-kereta besar, tercabik-cabik dan menggeliat dalam derita yang amat pedih.

Word by Word

तथाthus, likewise

परैःby others (by the enemies)

बहुकरणैःby many means/instruments

वरायुधैःby excellent weapons

हताःslain

गताःgone, fallen (down)

प्रतिभयदर्शनाःhaving terrifying appearance

क्षितिम्to/on the earth, ground

विपोथिताःcrushed, battered

हयगजपादताडिताःstruck by the feet of horses and elephants

भूशाकुलाःdistressed on the ground / ground-tossed

रथमुखनेमिश्रिःground by the front rims of chariot-wheels

क्षताःwounded, mangled

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

enemy forces (parāḥ)

weapons (āyudha)

earth/ground (kṣiti/bhū)

horses (haya)

elephants (gaja)

chariots (ratha)

chariot wheels/rims (nemi)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse underscores the grim ethical reality of war: superior weapons and many war-means culminate in widespread bodily devastation. It functions as a moral mirror—reminding the listener that martial success is inseparable from suffering, and that dharma in war must be weighed against the human cost.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes the battlefield aftermath: soldiers slain by the enemy’s excellent weapons lie on the earth in terrifying condition; some are trampled by horses and elephants, while others are crushed and mangled beneath the wheels of great chariots.