Shloka 82
पुराणि न च तं शेकुर्दानिवा: प्रतिवीक्षितुम्
purāṇi na ca taṃ śekur dānivāḥ prativīkṣitum
Even the ancient ones could not bring themselves to look upon him directly; so dreadful and overwhelming was the sight. The verse underscores how, in the extremity of war, a person’s condition can become so fearsome that even seasoned elders—those who have witnessed much—are shaken, reminding the listener of the moral and human cost that violence exacts beyond the battlefield’s immediate tactics.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the psychological and ethical weight of war: when violence reaches an extreme, even the most experienced elders cannot bear to witness its results, pointing to the profound human cost that accompanies adharma and unchecked brutality.
Vyāsa describes a moment where an unnamed figure’s appearance or condition is so terrifying or grievous that even venerable, long-experienced persons are unable to look at him directly.