Shloka 28
भीष्मरथाभिमुख्यं — Arjuna’s advance with Śikhaṇḍin; Duḥśāsana’s interception
नानादेशसमुत्थांश्व॒ तुरगान् हेमभूषितान् । वातायमानानद्राक्ष शतशशो5थ सहस्रश:,अनेक देशोंमें उत्पन्न, सुवर्णभूषित और वायुके समान वेगशाली सैकड़ों और हजारों घोड़ोंको हमने रणभूमिसे भागते देखा है
nānādeśasamutthāṁś ca turagān hemabhūṣitān | vātāyamānān adrākṣaṁ śataśaśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “I saw horses—bred in many different lands, adorned with golden trappings—fleeing from the battlefield in hundreds and in thousands, swift as the wind. The sight reveals how, in war, even the finest resources and proud displays of power collapse before fear and the pressure of fate; splendor does not guarantee steadiness when dharma and courage are shaken.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Worldly magnificence—golden trappings, renowned breeds, and military assets—cannot ensure steadfastness in crisis; in war, fear and the force of events can overturn even what appears strongest, reminding one that true stability lies in inner discipline and dharmic resolve.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that he witnessed large numbers of richly adorned, wind-swift horses—coming from many regions—running away from the battlefield, indicating disorder and retreat amid the fighting.