Shloka 42
कृष्णेन अर्जुनस्य प्रोत्साहनम् — Kṛṣṇa’s Exhortation to Arjuna
Prelude to Karṇa’s Slaying
भारत! प्रभो! रणभूमिमें कितने ही योद्धा एक-दूसरेको अपने और पिताके नाम तथा गोत्र सुनाते थे। प्रजानाथ! नाम और गोत्र सुनाते हुए बहुतेरे योद्धा शक्ति, तोमर और पट्टिशोंद्वारा एक-दूसरेको धूलमें मिला रहे थे ।।
bhārata prabho raṇabhūmau katineha yoddhā anyonyam ātmanaḥ pituś ca nāma gotraṃ ca śrāvayantaḥ | prajānātha nāmagotraṃ śrāvayantaḥ bahavo yoddhāḥ śaktyā tomaraiḥ paṭṭiśaiś ca anyonyam dhūliṣu nyapatan || vartamāne tu yuddhe ghora-rūpe sudāruṇe | vyaṣīdat kauravī senā bhinnā naur iva sāgare ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai Bhārata, wahai tuan! Di medan laga banyak prajurit saling menyerukan nama mereka, nama ayah mereka, dan garis klan (gotra). Wahai penguasa manusia, bahkan sambil menyebut nama dan klan, tak terbilang pejuang saling menjatuhkan dengan tombak, lembing, dan kapak-perang, membenamkan lawan ke dalam debu. Ketika pertempuran yang mengerikan dan amat kejam itu terus berlangsung tanpa henti, bala Kaurava—hancur dan tercerai-berai—patah semangat, laksana perahu yang pecah di tengah samudra.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the tragic irony of war: even while warriors assert identity through name, father, and lineage—markers of social order and dharma—the battle reduces them to dust. It underscores how unchecked violence fractures not only bodies and armies but also morale, leading to collective despair.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the fighting has become extremely fierce. Warriors shout their names and clans as they engage, striking each other with spears, javelins, and axes. As the dreadful combat continues, the Kaurava forces become shattered and demoralized, compared to a boat broken apart at sea.