Shloka 58
Chapter 23: Śakuni Reports, Kaurava Advance, and Arjuna’s Penetration of the Host
सुसंनिकृष्टे: संग्रामे हतभूयिष्ठसैनिकै: । योद्धाओंके कवच रक्तसे भीग गये थे। वे सब हाथोंमें अस्त्र-शस्त्र लिये धनुष उठाये नाना प्रकारके भयंकर आयुधोंद्वारा एक-दूसरेके वधकी इच्छा रखते थे। उस संग्राममें सभी योद्धा अत्यन्त निकट होकर युद्ध करते थे और उनमेंसे अधिकांश सैनिक मार डाले गये थे।।
susaṃnikṛṣṭe saṅgrāme hatabhūyiṣṭhasainikaiḥ | yoddhāṇāṃ kavacāni raktair bhīgitāni sma | te sarve hastāstreṇa śastrāṇi gṛhītvā dhanuḥ samudyamya nānāvidhair bhayānakair āyudhair anyonyavadhecchayā yuyudhire | tasmin saṅgrāme sarve yoddhā atyantaṃ nikṛṣṭā yuyudhire, teṣāṃ ca bahavo hatāḥ || sa muhūrtaṃ tato yuddhvā saubalo 'tha viśāṃpate ||
Sañjaya berkata: Dalam pertempuran itu, para pahlawan bertarung pada jarak yang amat rapat, dan kebanyakan askar telah pun terbunuh. Zirah mereka basah oleh darah. Semuanya menggenggam senjata di tangan dan mengangkat busur, berusaha dengan pelbagai ayudh yang menggerunkan, masing-masing menginginkan kematian pihak lawan. Setelah bertempur seketika, wahai tuan manusia, putera Subala meneruskan pertempuran itu.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the ethical gravity of war: when combat collapses into close-quarters slaughter, intention narrows to mutual killing (anyonyavadhecchā), highlighting how violence overwhelms restraint and how quickly armies are reduced—an implicit warning about the destructive momentum of adharma-driven conflict.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the battle has become extremely close and deadly; most soldiers are already slain, armor is drenched in blood, and warriors fight with bows and terrifying weapons, each seeking the other’s death. He then notes that Śakuni (Saubala) continues fighting after a brief interval.