Shloka 54
Chapter 23: Śakuni Reports, Kaurava Advance, and Arjuna’s Penetration of the Host
भूमौ निपतिताश्चान्ये बहवो विजयैषिण: । तत्र तत्र व्यदृश्यन्त पुरुषा: शूरमानिन:
bhūmau nipatitāścānye bahavo vijayaiṣiṇaḥ | tatra tatra vyadṛśyanta puruṣāḥ śūramāninaḥ ||
സഞ്ജയൻ പറഞ്ഞു—വിജയം തേടിയ മറ്റെത്രയോ പേർ ഭൂമിയിൽ വീണുകിടന്നു. ഇവിടെ അവിടെ, തങ്ങളെ വീരന്മാരെന്ന് കരുതിയ പുരുഷന്മാർ അങ്ങനെ തന്നെ കാണപ്പെട്ടു.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the ethical irony of war: those who chase victory and take pride in heroism are still subject to sudden downfall. It cautions against overconfidence and reminds that ambition and self-image cannot shield one from the consequences of violence and fate on the battlefield.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the दृश्य (scene) of the battlefield: many warriors, intent on winning, have been struck down and lie scattered in different places. The line paints a stark tableau of bodies ‘here and there,’ emphasizing the scale and indiscriminate devastation of the fighting.