Shloka 18
Pauṇḍraka’s False Vāsudeva Claim, His Death, and the Burning of Vārāṇasī by Sudarśana
आयोधनं तद्रथवाजिकुञ्जर- द्विपत्खरोष्ट्रैररिणावखण्डितै: । बभौ चितं मोदवहं मनस्विना- माक्रीडनं भूतपतेरिवोल्बणम् ॥ १८ ॥
āyodhanaṁ tad ratha-vāji-kuñjara- dvipat-kharoṣṭrair ariṇāvakhaṇḍitaiḥ babhau citaṁ moda-vahaṁ manasvinām ākrīḍanaṁ bhūta-pater ivolbaṇam
Medan perang itu, dipenuhi serpihan kereta, kuda, gajah, manusia, bagal dan unta yang tercabik oleh senjata cakra Tuhan, tampak berkilau mengerikan. Ia menjadi hiburan yang ganjil bagi para bijak, bagaikan gelanggang permainan yang dahsyat milik Bhūtapati (Śiva).
Śrīla Prabhupāda describes this scene as follows: “Although the devastated battlefield appeared like the dancing place of Lord Śiva at the time of the dissolution of the world, the warriors who were on the side of Kṛṣṇa were very much encouraged by seeing this, and they fought with greater strength.”
FAQs
This verse depicts the battlefield as littered with broken chariots, animals, and soldiers—so fierce that it is compared to the terrifying ‘playground’ of Bhūtapati (Śiva), emphasizing the overwhelming intensity of the conflict.
Śiva is invoked as a poetic comparison: the battlefield’s dreadful spectacle is likened to the fearsome realm associated with Bhūtapati, heightening the sense of terror and grandeur in the narration.
It reminds readers that worldly struggle can appear intoxicating or thrilling to the ambitious, yet it remains grim and destructive—encouraging discernment, restraint, and a dharmic, spiritually grounded outlook.