Mahabharata 7.97.26 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 97, Shloka 26
शैनेयचरितम्
The Exploits of Śaineya/Sātyaki amid Encirclement
अर्करश्मिविभिश्रेषु शस्त्रेषु कवचेषु च । चक्षूंषि प्रत्यहन्यन्त सैन्येन रजसा तथा
arkaraśmivibhiśreṣu śastreṣu kavaceṣu ca | cakṣūṃṣi pratyahanyanta sainyena rajasā tathā ||
Sañjaya berkata: Apabila sinar matahari menyambar senjata dan zirah para pahlawan, mata pun silau dan penglihatan sering terganggu; dan daripada gerak bala tentera, debu naik begitu tebal hingga membuat orang memejamkan mata. Pemandangan itu memperlihatkan bagaimana perang menenggelamkan deria manusia sendiri—silau dan debu menjadi alat kekeliruan di tengah denting senjata.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores a moral-psychological truth of warfare: even nature’s neutral elements—sunlight and dust—become forces that impair clarity. It hints that in battle, discernment (viveka) is easily clouded, so ethical restraint and disciplined judgment are especially difficult yet crucial.
Sañjaya describes the battlefield conditions: sunlight flashing off weapons and armor dazzles the fighters’ eyes, while the army’s movement raises thick dust that makes people shut their eyes. The description intensifies the sense of chaos and sensory overload during the fighting.
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