Shloka 14
द्रोणस्य सुपर्णव्यूहः — युधिष्ठिरप्रत्यव्यूहः
Droṇa’s Suparṇa Formation and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Counter-array
मोहिता: परमास्त्रेण क्षयं जग्मु: परस्परम् । अशोभन्त रणे योधा: पुष्पिता इव किंशुका:,उस दिव्यास्त्रसे मोहित हो वे परस्परके आघातसे क्षीण होने लगे। उस रणक्षेत्रमें समस्त योद्धा फूले हुए पलाश वृक्षके समान शोभा पा रहे थे
sañjaya uvāca | mohitāḥ paramāstreṇa kṣayaṃ jagmuḥ parasparam | aśobhanta raṇe yodhāḥ puṣpitā iva kiṃśukāḥ ||
ಆ ಪರಮಾಸ್ತ್ರದಿಂದ ಮೋಹಿತರಾಗಿ ಅವರು ಪರಸ್ಪರ ಪ್ರಹಾರಗಳಿಂದ ಕ್ಷಯವನ್ನು ಹೊಂದತೊಡಗಿದರು; ಆದರೂ ರಣಭೂಮಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಯೋಧರು ಪುಷ್ಪಿತ ಕಿಂಶುಕ ವೃಕ್ಷಗಳಂತೆ ಶೋಭಿಸಿದರು।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how moha (bewilderment) produced by overwhelming power—here, a supreme astra—drives people into mutual destruction, while outward splendor can mask inner ruin. It implicitly warns that fascination with force and spectacle in war can eclipse discernment and dharmic restraint.
Sañjaya describes a phase of the battle where a powerful divine weapon has been deployed. The fighters, stunned by its effect, clash with one another and begin to be worn down toward annihilation, even as the battlefield scene looks striking—likened to red-flowering kiṃśuka (palāśa) trees.