Shloka 42
द्रौणि-पार्षतयोर्युद्धम् | The Duel of Aśvatthāmā
Drauṇi) and Dhṛṣṭadyumna (Pārṣata
स्वलंकृतं क्षिती क्षुण्णं चेष्टमानं यथोरगम्
svalaṅkṛtaṃ kṣitī kṣuṇṇaṃ ceṣṭamānaṃ yathoragam
Sañjaya said: “(He appeared) adorned with ornaments, yet crushed upon the earth—writhing like a serpent.” The line conveys the stark moral contrast of war: even the splendidly equipped warrior, once struck down, is reduced to helpless suffering, reminding the listener of the fragility of pride and the grievous cost of violence.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the impermanence of worldly splendor and the ethical gravity of war: ornamentation and status cannot prevent the vulnerability and suffering that follow violence.
Sañjaya describes a fallen warrior on the battlefield—still adorned, but struck down and writhing on the ground like a serpent—emphasizing the intensity and cruelty of the combat scene.