Shloka 9
कृष्णेन अर्जुनस्य प्रोत्साहनम् — Kṛṣṇa’s Exhortation to Arjuna
Prelude to Karṇa’s Slaying
यथा वा वाससी शुक्ले महार०ञ्जनरजञ्जिते
yathā vā vāsasī śukle mahārañjanarajañjite | athavā yathā kācid śyāmavarṇā yuvatī śvetavarṇāni vāsāṃsi haridrāyā gāḍhena rañgena rañjayitvā paridadhyāt | tathaiva sā raṇabhūmiḥ pratibhāti sma | māṃsaśoṇitacitrā sā bhūmiḥ suvarṇamayīva pratibhāti sma |
Sañjaya berkata: Seperti dua kain putih yang dicelupkan ke dalam pewarna pekat lalu menyerap warna yang dalam—atau seperti seorang gadis berkulit gelap mengenakan kain putih yang telah diwarnai kuning kunyit yang kental—demikianlah medan perang itu tampak. Tanah itu seakan dilukis oleh daging dan darah, namun dalam ironi yang mengerikan, ia memantulkan kilau laksana emas.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical paradox of war: the battlefield can appear visually striking—almost ‘golden’—even while it is saturated with blood and death. It cautions that outward brilliance can conceal inner horror, urging discernment (viveka) and a dharmic evaluation beyond appearances.
Sañjaya, narrating the Kurukṣetra war, uses vivid similes of dyed white cloth and turmeric-stained garments to describe how the battlefield looked. He conveys that the ground, though smeared with flesh and blood, seemed to shine with a deceptive, gold-like appearance.