Chapter 23: Śakuni Reports, Kaurava Advance, and Arjuna’s Penetration of the Host
शिरो गृहीत्वा केशेषु कबन्ध: सम प्रदृश्यते । उद्यम्य च शितं खड््गं रुधिरेण परिप्लुतम्
śiro gṛhītvā keśeṣu kabandhaḥ sama pradṛśyate | udyamya ca śitaṃ khaḍgaṃ rudhireṇa pariplutam |
ສັນຈະຍະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ໃນສະໜາມຮົບອັນນ່າສະພຶງກົວນັ້ນ ບາງແຫ່ງເຫັນກະບັນ—ລຳຕົວບໍ່ມີຫົວ—ດັ່ງຍັງມີຊີວິດ ຢືນຂຶ້ນ; ມືໜຶ່ງຈັບຫົວສັດຕູທີ່ຖືກຕັດ ດຶງຕາມຜົມ, ອີກມືໜຶ່ງຊູດາບຄົມທີ່ຊຸ່ມເລືອດ»
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights the dehumanizing horror of war: even bodies seem to act on, symbolizing how violence can overpower normal moral sensibility. It implicitly warns that adharma-driven conflict brings catastrophic suffering, even when framed within kṣatriya duty.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the terrifying sights on the battlefield: headless torsos (kabandhas) appear to stand and fight, one holding a severed head by the hair and brandishing a sharp, blood-drenched sword.