Shloka 18
भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ६६: तुमुलसंग्रामवर्णनम्
The Tumult of Battle Described
रणाजड्ुणं समभवन्म्रावाससंनिभम् | जहाँ-तहाँ मरकर गिरे हुए मनुष्य, हाथी और घोड़ोंसे वह सारी रणभूमि मृत्युके निवासस्थान-सी प्रतीत होती थी ।।
raṇāj juṇaṁ samabhavan mṛtāvāsa-sannibham | jahāṁ-tahāṁ mṛtakaṁ gire huye manuṣyā hastinaś ca hayāś ca—tena sā sarvā raṇabhūmir mṛtyu-nivāsa-sthānā-sadṛśī pratibhāti sma || pinākam iva rudrasya kruddhasyābhighnataḥ paśūn, bhīmasenasya sā saṁhāra-kāriṇī bhayaṅkarī gadā pralayakāle paśūn (jīvān) saṁharataḥ rudrasya pinākaṁ yama-daṇḍaṁ ca samāṁ bhayaṅkarī dṛṣṭā | tasyāḥ śabda indrasya vajra-sadṛśaḥ ||
ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ଯେଉଁଠି ସେଉଁଠି ପଡ଼ିଥିବା ମୃତ ମନୁଷ୍ୟ, ହାତୀ ଓ ଘୋଡ଼ାମାନଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ସମଗ୍ର ରଣଭୂମି ଯମଧାମର ନିବାସସ୍ଥାନ ପରି ଲାଗୁଥିଲା। ଏବଂ ଭୀମସେନଙ୍କ ସେଇ ଭୟଙ୍କର ସଂହାରକାରୀ ଗଦାକୁ ଲୋକେ ପ୍ରଳୟକାଳରେ ଜୀବସଂହାରାର୍ଥ କ୍ରୁଦ୍ଧ ରୁଦ୍ରଙ୍କ ପିନାକ ପରି, ଯମଦଣ୍ଡ ସମାନ ଭୟାବହ ବୋଲି ଦେଖିଲେ; ତାହାର ଘାତନାଦ ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରଙ୍କ ବଜ୍ରଧ୍ୱନି ପରି ଗୁଞ୍ଜିଉଠୁଥିଲା।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the moral gravity of war: when violence reaches its peak, the battlefield becomes indistinguishable from Death’s domain. By comparing Bhīma’s weapon to Rudra’s and Yama’s instruments, the text frames martial power as awe-inspiring yet bound to destruction and karmic consequence.
Sañjaya describes the scene of carnage: corpses of men, elephants, and horses cover the field. He then highlights Bhīmasena’s fearsome mace, whose sound and effect are likened to divine weapons associated with cosmic destruction and death.