Shloka 56
तद् गजाश्वरथौघानां रुधिरेण समुक्षितम् । छन्नमायोधन रेजे रक्ता भ्रमिव शारदम्
tad gajāśvarathaughānāṁ rudhireṇa samukṣitam | channam āyodhanaṁ reje raktā bhramir iva śāradam ||
Sañjaya berkata: Kemudian medan perang itu—diselubungi dan dibasahi darah himpunan gajah, kuda, dan para pahlawan kereta perang—bersinar, seakan-akan awan merah menyala pada senja musim luruh. Gambaran ini menegaskan keindahan yang menggerunkan dalam perang: keindahan itu terlihat, namun lahir daripada pembantaian yang meluas, mengingatkan pendengar akan harga moral yang mengiringi kemegahan senjata.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the paradox of war’s ‘splendor’: the battlefield may appear visually magnificent, yet that beauty is inseparable from bloodshed. It invites ethical reflection on how martial glory can mask suffering, and how a witness must see both the appearance and the cost.
Sañjaya narrates the scene of Kurukṣetra after intense fighting: the ground is covered and soaked with blood from fallen elephants, horses, and chariot-warriors, and the whole field looks red—likened to autumn evening clouds.