Shloka 503
Śiva’s Battlefield Manifestation and Vyāsa’s Śatarudrīya Exposition (शिवप्रादुर्भावः शतरुद्रीयव्याख्यानम्)
यथा वैतरणी राजन् यमराजपुरं प्रति । राजन! दोनों सेनाओंके बीचमें बहनेवाली वह नदी मनुष्यों, घोड़ों और हाथियोंको भी बहाये लिये जाती थी, मानो वैतरणी नदी यमराजपुरीकी ओर जा रही हो
sañjaya uvāca |
yathā vaitaraṇī rājan yamarājapuraṃ prati |
ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—ହେ ରାଜନ! ଯେପରି ବୈତରଣୀ ନଦୀ ଯମପୁରୀ ପ୍ରତି ବହେ, ସେପରି ଦୁଇ ସେନାର ମଧ୍ୟରେ ବହୁଥିବା ସେଇ ନଦୀ ମନୁଷ୍ୟ, ଘୋଡ଼ା ଓ ହାତୀମାନଙ୍କୁ ମଧ୍ୟ ଭାସାଇ ନେଉଥିଲା; ଯେନେ ରଣଭୂମି ମୃତ୍ୟୁପଥ ହୋଇଯାଇଥିଲା।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses the Vaitaraṇī–Yama imagery to underscore the moral and existential cost of war: violence turns the battlefield into a threshold of death, reminding listeners that actions (karma) lead inexorably to their consequences.
Sañjaya describes to Dhṛtarāṣṭra a horrific scene in which a river or torrent between the opposing armies is sweeping away combatants and animals; he likens it to the mythic Vaitaraṇī flowing toward Yama’s abode, intensifying the sense of mass death.