Shloka 66
शल्यस्य पाण्डवसेनापीडनम् — Śalya’s Assault on the Pāṇḍava Host
with Omens and Bhīma’s Counter
पाण्डवोंके चलाये हुए पैने बाणोंसे व्याप्त हो कौरवसेनाके मुख्य-मुख्य वीर मारे गये। वह सेना नष्ट होने लगी और चारों ओरसे उसकी गति अवरुद्ध हो गयी ।। कौरव्यवध्यत चमू: पाण्डुपुत्रैर्महारथै: । तथैव पाण्डवं सैन्यं शरै राजन् समन्ततः
kauravyavadhyata camūḥ pāṇḍuputrair mahārathaiḥ | tathaiva pāṇḍavaṃ sainyaṃ śarai rājān samantataḥ ||
Disse Sañjaya: O exército Kaurava estava sendo abatido pelos príncipes de Pāṇḍu — grandes guerreiros de carro — e, contudo, do outro lado, também o exército Pāṇḍava era por toda parte cercado e atingido por chuvas de flechas. Assim, a batalha tornou-se destruição mútua: valor e perícia faziam chover a morte sem favorecer ninguém, e o movimento das tropas foi sufocado em todos os flancos quando o campo se encheu de heróis caídos.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the tragic symmetry of war: even when fought by renowned heroes, violence spreads beyond intention and consumes both sides. It implicitly warns that adharma-driven conflict culminates in collective ruin, where prowess cannot prevent the moral and human cost.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the Kaurava host is being slaughtered by the Pāṇḍava princes, while the Pāṇḍava army is simultaneously struck from all directions by arrows. The battlefield becomes congested and immobilized as casualties mount and movement is obstructed on every side.