Shloka 40
आयोधनदर्शनम्
Viewing the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra
एते गोमायवो भीमा निहतानां यशस्विनाम् । कण्ठान्तरगतान् हारानाक्षिपन्ति सहस्रश:,“यहाँ मारे गये यशस्वी वीरोंके कण्ठमें पड़े हुए हारोंको ये सहस्रों भयानक गीदड़ खींचते और झटकते हैं
ete gomāyavo bhīmā nihatānāṁ yaśasvinām | kaṇṭhāntaragātān hārān ākṣipanti sahasraśaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “Here, thousands of terrifying jackals tug and jerk at the garlands lodged around the throats of the fallen, illustrious warriors.” The scene underscores the moral aftermath of war: even the honored dead are left exposed to indignity, revealing the stark impermanence of worldly glory and the grievous cost of adharma-driven conflict.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical and existential consequence of war: fame and honor cannot protect the body from decay and indignity. It implicitly warns that violence and adharma culminate in suffering that strips even heroes of worldly dignity, urging reflection on dharma and restraint.
In the devastated battlefield setting of the Strī Parva, Vaiśampāyana describes scavenging jackals swarming in thousands and violently tugging at the garlands/necklaces still caught around the necks of slain renowned warriors.