Shloka 40
Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 20 — Yudhiṣṭhira–Duryodhana Encounter and Escalation of Arms
रूपाण्यत्यर्थकान्तानि द्विरदाश्वनृणां नृप समुन्नानीव वस्त्राणि ययुर्दुर्दर्शतां पराम्,नरेश्वर! हाथी, घोड़े और मनुष्योंके अत्यन्त सुन्दर रूप भी वहाँ कीचड़में सने हुए वस्त्रोंके समान घिनौने हो गये थे। उनकी ओर देखना कठिन हो रहा था
sañjaya uvāca | rūpāṇy atyarthakāntāni dviradāśvanṛṇāṁ nṛpa samunnānīva vastrāṇi yayur durdarśatāṁ parām |
Sañjaya berkata: Wahai Raja, rupa yang teramat indah pada gajah, kuda, dan manusia menjadi seolah-olah pakaian yang disapu lumpur—menjijikkan dan sukar dipandang. Di tengah pembantaian itu, apa yang dahulu gemilang berubah menjadi sesuatu yang hampir tidak tertahan untuk ditatap, memperlihatkan kuasa perang yang melucutkan maruah dan keindahan daripada makhluk bernyawa.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the dehumanizing and defiling nature of war: even the most splendid beings and forms lose their beauty and become repulsive. It implicitly warns that violence obscures dignity and makes what is naturally admirable difficult to behold, inviting ethical reflection on the cost of conflict.
Sañjaya describes the battlefield to the king: elephants, horses, and warriors—once impressive in appearance—are now soiled and disfigured amid mud and gore, like clothes smeared with filth, making the scene extremely hard to look at.