Shloka 70
भीष्मधनंजयद्वैरथम्
Bhīṣma–Dhanaṃjaya Duel and the Opening Clash
त्वदीयास्तु तदा योधा: पाण्डवेयाश्व॒ भारत | अन्योन्यं समरे जघ्नुस्तयोस्तत्र पराक्रमे,भारत! उस समय वहाँ उन दोनों वीरोंके पराक्रम करते समय युद्धस्थलमें आपके और पाण्डवपक्षके योद्धा भी एक-दूसरेको मार रहे थे
tvadīyās tu tadā yodhāḥ pāṇḍaveyāś ca bhārata | anyonyaṃ samare jaghnus tayos tatra parākrame ||
Disse Sañjaya: Ó Bharata, naquele momento, enquanto aqueles dois heróis exibiam ali a sua proeza, os guerreiros do teu lado e também os filhos de Pāṇḍu abatiam-se mutuamente no campo de batalha—cada qual preso à sua lealdade, e contudo todos enredados na mesma lógica devoradora da guerra.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the impersonal momentum of war: even as great champions exhibit individual heroism, the wider armies—bound by duty to their respective sides—mutually destroy one another. It highlights how allegiance and kṣatriya-duty can propel collective violence beyond any single duel.
Sanjaya tells Dhṛtarāṣṭra that, at the same time as two principal heroes are demonstrating their prowess (in a prominent encounter), the surrounding Kaurava and Pāṇḍava troops are simultaneously engaged in mutual killing across the battlefield.