Shloka 11
अध्याय ९१ — शैनेयस्य गजानीकभेदनं जलसंधवधश्च
Chapter 91: Sātyaki breaks the elephant array and slays Jalasaṃdha
ततः कबन्धं किंचित् तु धनुरालम्ब्य तिष्ठति । किंचित् खड्गं विनिष्कृष्य भुजेनोद्यम्य तिषछतति,कोई-कोई कबन्ध (बिना सिरका धड़) धनुष लेकर खड़ा था और कोई तलवार खींचकर उसे हाथमें उठाये खड़ा हुआ था
tataḥ kabandhaṃ kiñcit tu dhanurālambya tiṣṭhati | kiñcit khaḍgaṃ viniṣkṛṣya bhujenodyamya tiṣṭhati ||
Sañjaya said: Then, some headless trunks stood bracing themselves upon their bows, while others, having drawn their swords, stood with their arms raised—an eerie vision of the battlefield where even the fallen seem to persist in the posture of combat, underscoring the war’s relentless, dehumanizing momentum.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the horrific momentum of war: even the dead appear frozen in fighting postures, prompting reflection on the ethical cost of violence and the fragility of embodied life amid claims of righteous warfare.
Sañjaya describes a gruesome battlefield scene where headless bodies (kabandhas) are seen standing—some propped on bows, others with swords drawn and arms raised—emphasizing the intensity and carnage of the ongoing combat.