Shloka 4
भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ६६: तुमुलसंग्रामवर्णनम्
The Tumult of Battle Described
सेनाका वह अनन्त वेग देवताओंके लिये भी दुःसह था। पूर्णिमाको बढ़े हुए समुद्रके समान अपार जान पड़ता था ।। रथनागाश्चवकलिलं शड्खदुन्दुभिनादितम् | अनन्तरथपादातं रजसा सर्वतो वृतम्,वह सैन्य-समुद्र रथ, हाथी और घोड़ोंसे भरा हुआ था। शंख और दुन्दुभियोंकी ध्वनिसे कोलाहलपूर्ण हो रहा था। उसमें रथ और पैदलोंकी संख्या नहीं बतायी जा सकती थी तथा उस सेनामें सब ओर धूल व्याप्त हो रही थी
sa senā ca vah ananta-vegaḥ devatānām api duḥsahaḥ āsīt | pūrṇimāyāṃ vardhamāna-samudra iva apāraḥ pratibhāti || ratha-nāgāśva-kalilaṃ śaṅkha-dundubhi-nāditam | ananta-ratha-pādātaṃ rajasā sarvato vṛtam ||
Sañjaya disse: Aquele exército avançou com velocidade incomensurável, insuportável até para os deuses, e parecia sem limites, como o oceano que se avoluma na noite de lua cheia. Estava denso de carros, elefantes e cavalos; rugia com o brado das conchas e o rufar dos tambores. Seus carros e seus infantes eram incontáveis, e a poeira se espalhava por toda parte, velando a cena.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse is primarily descriptive, but it implicitly warns that the sheer mass, speed, and clamor of war can overwhelm judgment. In such conditions, maintaining dharma requires inner steadiness, because external spectacle—numbers, noise, and fear—pushes people toward impulsive, dehumanizing action.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the terrifying advance of the forces: the host appears limitless like a full-moon-swollen sea, packed with chariots, elephants, horses, and innumerable foot-soldiers, roaring with conches and drums while dust rises everywhere.