Shloka 163
तव चैव परेषां च गतास्त्रा विगतेषव: । उस समय आपकी और शत्रुओंकी सेनाके समस्त क्षत्रिय उत्साहहीन एवं दीनचित्त हो गये थे; उनके हाथोंसे अस्त्र और बाण गिर गये थे
tava caiva pareṣāṁ ca gatāstrā vigateṣavaḥ |
Sañjaya berkata: Baik para pahlawan tuanku mahupun pihak musuh, setelah kehilangan senjata dan kehabisan anak panah, menjadi tawar hati dan muram—hingga senjata terlepas dari genggaman mereka.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that defeat in war is not only physical (loss of weapons and arrows) but also psychological: when courage and resolve fail, even armed warriors become ineffective. It implicitly critiques the dehumanizing exhaustion of prolonged conflict, where dharma is tested by fear, fatigue, and despair.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that both sides’ fighters have become disarmed or depleted of missiles—either literally losing weapons or running out of arrows—resulting in a collapse of fighting spirit and a visible slackening of battle readiness.