Shloka 33
आयोधनदर्शनम्
Viewing the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra
ये पुरा शेरते वीरा: शयनेषु यशस्विन: । चन्दनागुरुदिग्धाड्जास्तेड्द्य पांसुषु शेरते,“जो यशस्वी वीर पहले अपने अंगोंमें चन्दन और अगुरुचूर्णसे चर्चित हो सुखदायिनी शय्याओंपर सोते थे, वे ही आज धूलमें लोट रहे हैं
ye purā śerate vīrāḥ śayaneṣu yaśasvinaḥ | candanāgurudigdhāṅgās te ’dya pāṃsuṣu śerate ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “Those renowned heroes who once lay upon pleasant beds, their bodies anointed with sandalwood and aloe-wood paste, now lie today in the dust.” The verse underscores the moral shock of war: worldly splendor and honor collapse into the same earth, reminding the listener of impermanence and the grievous cost of violence.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights impermanence and the ethical gravity of war: fame, luxury, and bodily adornment vanish, and even celebrated heroes end in dust—inviting reflection on the cost of violence and the fragility of worldly status.
In Strī Parva’s lamentation context after the great battle, the narrator describes the fallen warriors: those who once enjoyed royal comforts and fragrant anointments now lie dead on the ground, intensifying the scene of mourning and devastation.