अध्याय २९: कर्णस्य शल्यं प्रति शापस्मरणं च युद्धनिश्चयः | Chapter 29: Karṇa recalls curses to Śalya and declares resolve for battle
तैर्वध्यमानं तत् सैन्यं सपत्त्यश्चरथद्विपम् । निमीलिताक्षमत्यर्थ बश्राम च ननाद च,उन बाणोंसे हताहत होती हुई पैदल, घोड़े, रथ और हाथियोंसे युता कौरव-सेना आँख मूँदकर जोर-जोरसे चिल्लाने और चक्कर काटने लगी
tair vadhyamānaṃ tat sainyaṃ sapattayaś ca ratha-dvipam | nimīlitākṣam atyarthaṃ babhrāma ca nanāda ca ||
त्या बाणांनी विद्ध होऊन पायदळ, घोडे, रथ व हत्तींसह ती सेना भयाने डोळे मिटून अत्यंत व्याकुळ झाली; गोंधळून चक्रावल्याप्रमाणे फिरत मोठ्याने आक्रोश करू लागली।
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights the psychological and moral cost of war: when violence intensifies, collective discipline collapses into fear and confusion. It implicitly warns that adharma-driven conflict breeds suffering and disorder for entire communities, not only for individual fighters.
Sañjaya reports that the army, battered by a storm of arrows, becomes terrified—closing its eyes, crying out loudly, and moving about in disarray—describing a moment of panic and breakdown in the Kaurava ranks amid the battle.