Shloka 12
Adhyāya 18 — Sequential Duels and Formation Pressure
Ulūka–Yuyutsu; Śakuni–Sutasoma; Kṛpa–Dhṛṣṭadyumna; Kṛtavarmā–Śikhaṇḍin
ते रथास्तत्र विध्वस्ता: परार्ध्या भान्त्यनेकश: । धनिनामिव वेश्मानि हतान्यग्न्यनिलाम्बुभि:,वे बहुमूल्य और बहुसंख्यक रथ, जो वहाँ टूट-फ़ूटकर गिरे पड़े थे, आग, हवा और पानीसे नष्ट हुए धनवानोंके घरोंके समान जान पड़ते थे
te rathās tatra vidhvastāḥ parārdhyā bhānty anekaśaḥ | dhaninām iva veśmāni hatāny agny-anilāmbubhiḥ ||
Sañjaya said: There, many exceedingly costly chariots lay shattered and strewn about, appearing like the mansions of the wealthy after they have been ruined by fire, wind, and flood. The battlefield’s splendor is thus turned into a grim lesson: even the finest works of human pride and possession collapse under the forces unleashed by war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the fragility of wealth and human craftsmanship: even the most luxurious chariots become wreckage in war, like rich houses ruined by natural calamities. It implicitly cautions against pride in possessions and highlights the moral cost and leveling force of violence.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the दृश्य of the battlefield: numerous high-value chariots have been smashed and lie scattered. He uses a vivid simile—wealthy mansions destroyed by fire, wind, and flood—to convey the scale of devastation.