Shloka 128
Vāsudeva-Māhātmya: Duryodhana’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Theological Account of Keśava
प्रवर्तितामर्जुनबाणसड्चै- मेंदोवसासृक्प्रवहां सुभीमाम् । हतप्रवीरां च तथैव दृष्ट्वा सेनां कुरूणामथ फाल्गुनेन
pravartitām arjunabāṇasaṅghair medovasāsṛk-pravahāṁ subhīmām | hatapravīrāṁ ca tathaiva dṛṣṭvā senāṁ kurūṇām atha phālgunena ||
Sañjaya disse: Ao ver o exército dos Kuru posto em movimento e lançado a um estado terrível pelas saraivadas de flechas de Arjuna—jorrando gordura, medula e sangue, e privado de seus principais heróis—(a mente do rei foi abalada) diante do que Phālguna havia realizado.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical gravity of war: even when a warrior acts within kṣatriya-dharma, the reality of battle is horrific and costly. It invites reflection on duty performed without delusion, alongside clear awareness of suffering caused.
Sañjaya describes the Kuru army being violently overwhelmed by Arjuna (Phālguna). Under the barrage of arrows, the host becomes a dreadful scene of blood and bodily matter, and its leading heroes are cut down—signaling a decisive turn in the fighting.