Shloka 106
कर्णवधार्थं धनञ्जयस्य प्रतिज्ञा — Arjuna’s resolve for Karṇa’s defeat
नानापुष्पसमाकीर्ण यथा चैत्ररथं वनम् । नरेश्वर! फिर वहाँ निश्वेष्ट खड़ी हुई आपकी वह सेना भाँति-भाँतिके पुष्पोंसे भरे हुए चैत्ररथ नामक वनके समान शोभा पाने लगी
nānāpuṣpasamākīrṇaṃ yathā caitrarathaṃ vanam | nareśvara! tataḥ tatra niṣceṣṭā sthitā tava sā senā bhānti-bhānti-puṣpair bharitaṃ caitrarathanāmakaṃ vanam iva śobhāṃ prāpa |
Sañjaya berkata: Wahai raja, ketika itu bala tentera tuanku berdiri kaku tanpa bergerak, tampak bagaikan rimba Caitraratha pada musim bunga—berselerak dengan pelbagai jenis bunga. Perumpamaan ini menonjolkan ironi tragis perang: yang kelihatan indah sebenarnya ialah kesunyian para pahlawan yang keletihan atau telah gugur, saat kemegahan dan kebinasaan berdiri bersebelahan.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral tension of war: outward grandeur can mask inner devastation. By comparing a motionless army to a flower-strewn celestial grove, it suggests how quickly martial splendor turns into stillness—inviting reflection on impermanence and the cost of violence.
Sañjaya reports to the king that the king’s army has become still on the battlefield. In that moment, its appearance—spread out and varied—resembles the celebrated Caitraratha forest filled with many flowers, a poetic image applied to a grim wartime scene.