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Shloka 22

कृष्णेन अर्जुनस्य प्रोत्साहनम् — Kṛṣṇa’s Exhortation to Arjuna

Prelude to Karṇa’s Slaying

अपरे कृष्यमाणाश्रन विचेष्टन्तो महीतले । भावान्‌ बहुविधांश्वक्रुस्ताडिता: शरतोमरै:

apare kṛṣyamāṇāś ca viceṣṭanto mahītale | bhāvān bahuvidhāṁś cakrus tāḍitāḥ śaratomaraiḥ ||

Sañjaya berkata: Kuda-kuda yang lain, dipukul oleh anak panah dan lembing (tomara), diseret dan menggeliat di atas tanah, memperlihatkan pelbagai rupa derita dan kegelisahan. Pemandangan ini menegaskan momentum pertempuran yang kejam, di mana bahkan tunggangan yang tidak bersalah turut dihanyutkan ke dalam penderitaan oleh keganasan para pahlawan.

अपरेothers (some others)
अपरे:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootअपर
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
कृष्यमाणाःbeing dragged
कृष्यमाणाः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootकृष्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural, Present passive participle (शानच्), passive sense
अश्वाःhorses
अश्वाः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअश्व
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural
विचेष्टन्तःstruggling, writhing
विचेष्टन्तः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootवि + चेष्ट्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural, Present active participle (शतृ)
महीतलेon the ground (earth-surface)
महीतले:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootमहीतल
FormNeuter, Locative, Singular
भावान्expressions, gestures, states
भावान्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Rootभाव
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
बहुविधान्many kinds of
बहुविधान्:
Karma
TypeAdjective
Rootबहुविध
FormMasculine, Accusative, Plural
चक्रुःthey did/made
चक्रुः:
Karta
TypeVerb
Rootकृ
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd, Plural, Parasmaipada
ताडिताःstruck, beaten
ताडिताः:
Karta
TypeAdjective
Rootताड्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural, Past passive participle (क्त)
शरतोमरैःby arrows and javelins
शरतोमरैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootशर-तोमर
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
H
horses (aśvāḥ)
A
arrows (śara)
J
javelins/spears (tomara)
E
earth/ground (mahītala)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the collateral suffering produced by warfare: even animals are dragged into pain and terror. Ethically, it invites reflection on the far-reaching harm of violence and the responsibility borne by those who choose battle.

Sañjaya describes the battlefield where horses, struck by arrows and javelins, fall and writhe on the ground; some are dragged along, struggling and showing varied signs of distress amid the chaos of combat.