Shloka 37
Gadāyuddhe Kṛṣṇopadeśaḥ (Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel in the Mace-Duel) — Śalya-parva 57
अशोभेतां महाराज शोणितेन परिप्लुतौ | महाराज! जैसे दो हाथी अपने दाँतोंसे परस्पर प्रहार करके लहूलुहान हो जाते हैं, उसी प्रकार वे दोनों एक-दूसरेपर चोट करके खूनसे लथपथ हो अद्भुत शोभा पाने लगे ।। ३६३६ || एवं तदभवद् युद्ध घोररूपमसंवृतम्
sañjaya uvāca |
aśobhetāṃ mahārāja śoṇitena pariplutau |
evaṃ tad abhavad yuddhaṃ ghorarūpam asaṃvṛtam ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai Raja, kedua-duanya tampak bersinar, bermandikan darah. Maka pertempuran itu menjadi mengerikan rupanya, tanpa kendali—suatu pertembungan terbuka yang kejam, di mana pukulan balas-membalas hanya menambah seri ngeri keganasan.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the grim paradox of war: even when combatants appear “splendid” in heroic terms, that splendor is inseparable from bloodshed and loss. It invites ethical reflection on how unchecked violence (asaṃvṛta) overwhelms restraint and compassion.
Sañjaya reports to the king that the two fighters (spoken of as a pair) are soaked in blood yet still appear striking, and he concludes that the fight has turned into a terrifying, unrestrained battle.