Shloka 41
कर्णस्य दानप्रतिज्ञा–शल्योपदेश–वाक्ययुद्धम्
Karna’s Gift-Vows, Shalya’s Counsel, and the Battle of Words
जहार समरे प्राणान् नानाशस्त्रैरनेकथा । कोई-कोई योद्धा दूसरेके साथ उलझे हुए सैनिकसे स्वयं अपरिचित रहकर नाना प्रकारके अनेक अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंद्वारा युद्धमें उसके प्राण हर लेता था || ४० $ ।।
jahāra samare prāṇān nānāśastrair anekathā | saṃsakteṣu ca yodheṣu vartamāne ca saṅkule ||
Sañjaya disse: No combate, vidas eram tiradas de muitas maneiras por muitos tipos de armas. Quando os guerreiros se enlaçavam e a luta se tornava uma confusa mêlée, algum combatente—incapaz de reconhecer o outro no aperto—golpeava com diversos projéteis e armas e assim lhe roubava a vida.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral danger of war’s confusion: when combat turns into a dense mêlée, recognition and deliberation fail, and killing becomes impersonal—showing how adharma can arise not only from intent but also from the breakdown of clarity and restraint.
Sanjaya reports that the battlefield has become tightly entangled and chaotic; amid this crush, warriors strike with many kinds of weapons and, sometimes without even recognizing the opponent, take lives in various ways.