Shloka 14
द्वैपायनह्रदे दुर्योधनान्वेषणम् / The Search for Duryodhana at Dvaipāyana Lake
अभ्यघ्नंस्तावकान् युद्धे मुहूर्तादिव भारत । ततो नि:शेषमभवत् तत् सैन्यं तव भारत,भारत! पाण्डव-सेनासे बहुत-से सैनिकोंने निकलकर युद्धमें एक ही मुहूर्तके भीतर आपके सम्पूर्ण योद्धाओंका संहार कर डाला। भरतनन्दन! उस समय आपकी वह सेना सर्वथा नष्ट हो गयी। उसमेंसे एक भी योद्धा बच न सका
abhyaghnan stāvakān yuddhe muhūrtādiva bhārata | tato niḥśeṣam abhavat tat sainyaṃ tava bhārata ||
Sañjaya said: “O Bhārata, the Pāṇḍava forces struck down your men in battle as though within a single muhūrta. Then, O Bhārata, your army was left without remainder—completely destroyed, with none of your warriors surviving.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the swift and total collapse that can follow when a cause is already morally and strategically exhausted: once adharma-driven conflict reaches its culmination, destruction can come suddenly and leave nothing behind. It also highlights the tragic consequence of obstinacy and misjudgment in war.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Pāṇḍava forces rapidly slaughtered the Kaurava troops; within what seems like a single muhūrta, Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s army was annihilated completely, with no survivors.