Shloka 42
भारत! प्रभो! रणभूमिमें कितने ही योद्धा एक-दूसरेको अपने और पिताके नाम तथा गोत्र सुनाते थे। प्रजानाथ! नाम और गोत्र सुनाते हुए बहुतेरे योद्धा शक्ति, तोमर और पट्टिशोंद्वारा एक-दूसरेको धूलमें मिला रहे थे ।। वर्तमाने तथा युद्धे घोररूपे सुदारुणे । व्यषीदत् कौरवी सेना भिन्ना नौरिव सागरे,इस प्रकार वह दारुण एवं भयंकर युद्ध चल ही रहा था कि समुद्रमें टूटी हुई नौकाके समान कौरव-सेना छिलन्न-भिन्न हो गयी और विषाद करने लगी
bhārata prabho raṇabhūmau katineha yoddhā anyonyam ātmanaḥ pituś ca nāma gotraṃ ca śrāvayantaḥ | prajānātha nāmagotraṃ śrāvayantaḥ bahavo yoddhāḥ śaktyā tomaraiḥ paṭṭiśaiś ca anyonyam dhūliṣu nyapatan || vartamāne tu yuddhe ghora-rūpe sudāruṇe | vyaṣīdat kauravī senā bhinnā naur iva sāgare ||
Sanjaya said: “O Bhārata, O lord! On the battlefield many warriors called out to one another their own names, their fathers’ names, and their lineages. O ruler of men, even as they proclaimed name and clan, countless fighters were striking each other down with spears, javelins, and battle-axes, casting one another into the dust. While that dreadful, most cruel combat continued unabated, the Kaurava host—shattered and scattered—lost heart, like a boat broken apart upon the sea.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the tragic irony of war: even while warriors assert identity through name, father, and lineage—markers of social order and dharma—the battle reduces them to dust. It underscores how unchecked violence fractures not only bodies and armies but also morale, leading to collective despair.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the fighting has become extremely fierce. Warriors shout their names and clans as they engage, striking each other with spears, javelins, and axes. As the dreadful combat continues, the Kaurava forces become shattered and demoralized, compared to a boat broken apart at sea.