Shloka 12
Bhīṣma-parva Adhyāya 16 — Saṃjaya’s Boon, Bhīṣma’s Protection, and the Dawn Arraying of Armies
काज्चना मणिचित्राज्रा ज्वलन्त इव पावका: । अर्चिष्मन्तो व्यरोचन्त गजारोहा: सहस्रश:,सुवर्णमय आभूषण पहने, मणियोंके अलंकारोंसे विचित्र अंगोंवाले, सहस्रों हाथीसवार सैनिक अपनी प्रभासे शिखाओंसहित प्रज्वलित अग्निके समान प्रकाशित हो रहे थे
kāñcanā maṇicitrāṅgā jvalanta iva pāvakāḥ | arcīṣmanto vyarocanta gajārohāḥ sahasraśaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Thousands of elephant-mounted warriors, adorned with golden ornaments and limbs made variegated by jeweled decorations, shone brilliantly—like blazing fires with streaming flames—radiating splendor across the battlefield.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse primarily serves epic narration rather than direct moral instruction: it highlights how outward brilliance—gold, jewels, and martial display—can intensify the awe and momentum of war, reminding the listener that conflict is driven not only by strategy but also by spectacle, pride, and the projection of power.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the sight of thousands of elephant-mounted warriors on the field, glittering with gold and jeweled ornaments; their collective radiance is compared to blazing fire with flames, emphasizing the scale and intimidating grandeur of the army.