Shloka 33
भीष्मस्य मण्डलव्यूहः — Bhīṣma’s Maṇḍala Battle-Formation and the Opening Engagements
लोहितायति चादित्ये त्वरमाणो धनंजय: । पजञ्चविंशतिसाहस्रानु निजघान महारथान्
lohitāyati cāditye tvaramāṇo dhanañjayaḥ | pañcaviṃśati-sāhasrān u nijaghāna mahārathān ||
ਜਦੋਂ ਸੂਰਜ ਲਾਲ ਹੋਣ ਲੱਗਾ, ਤਦ ਤੁਰੰਤਤਾ ਨਾਲ ਅੱਗੇ ਵਧੇ ਧਨੰਜਯ (ਅਰਜੁਨ) ਨੇ ਪੱਚੀ ਹਜ਼ਾਰ ਮਹਾਰਥੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਮਾਰ ਡਾਲਿਆ।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in war, urgency and the pressure of time (the reddening sun, nearing day’s end) intensify action; it also implicitly raises the ethical gravity of killing on a vast scale even when framed as kṣatriya-duty.
Sañjaya reports that as evening approaches and the sun reddens, Arjuna fights with haste and overwhelms the opposing force, slaying a vast number of elite chariot-warriors.