Shloka 56

Devanagari script

तद्‌ गजाश्वरथौघानां रुधिरेण समुक्षितम्‌ । छन्नमायोधन रेजे रक्ता भ्रमिव शारदम्‌

Transliteration

tad gajāśvarathaughānāṁ rudhireṇa samukṣitam | channam āyodhanaṁ reje raktā bhramir iva śāradam ||

Translation

Санджая сказал: Тогда то поле брани — покрытое и пропитанное кровью множества слонов, коней и колесничих — засияло, подобно багряным облакам, пылающим в осенних сумерках. Этот образ подчёркивает страшное великолепие войны: красота различима, но рождена она из повсеместной резни и напоминает слушателю о нравственной цене, что сопутствует воинской славе.

Word by Word

• तत्: that (battlefield)
• तत्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• गज: of elephants
• गज: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• अश्व: of horses
• अश्व: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• रथ: of chariots
• रथ: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रथ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• ओघानाम्: of masses/hosts
• ओघानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओघ
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• रुधिरेण: with blood
• रुधिरेण: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुधिर
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental, Singular

• समुक्षितम्: sprinkled/soaked
• समुक्षितम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + उक्ष्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• छन्नम्: covered
• छन्नम्: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: छद्
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)

• आयोधनम्: battlefield
• आयोधनम्: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयोधन
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• रेजे: shone/was splendid
• Type: Verb
• Root: राज्
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada

• रक्ता: red
• रक्ता: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रक्त
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• भ्रमिः: cloud-mass/whirling cloud (as in twilight)
• भ्रमिः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रमि
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• इव: like/as
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव

• शारदम्: autumnal (twilight/sky)
• शारदम्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शारद
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• battlefield (āyodhana)
• elephants (gaja)
• horses (aśva)
• chariots (ratha)
• blood (rudhira)
• autumn twilight clouds (śārada raktā bhrami)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the paradox of war’s ‘splendor’: the battlefield may appear visually magnificent, yet that beauty is inseparable from bloodshed. It invites ethical reflection on how martial glory can mask suffering, and how a witness must see both the appearance and the cost.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya narrates the scene of Kurukṣetra after intense fighting: the ground is covered and soaked with blood from fallen elephants, horses, and chariot-warriors, and the whole field looks red—likened to autumn evening clouds.