Shloka 28

नराणां चैव कायेभ्य: शिरसां पततां रणे | शुश्रुवे सुमहाउ्छब्द: पततामश्मनामिव,मनुष्योंके शरीरोंसे रणभूमिमें कटकर गिरते हुए मस्तकोंका महान्‌ शब्द पत्थरोंकी वर्षके समान जान पड़ता था

narāṇāṃ caiva kāyebhyaḥ śirasāṃ patatāṃ raṇe | śuśruve sumahāñ chabdaḥ patatām aśmanām iva ||

नराणां चैव कायेभ्यः शिरसां पततां रणे । शुश्रुवे सुमहान् शब्दः पततामश्मनामिव ॥

नराणाम्of men
नराणाम्:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootनर
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
एवindeed/just
एव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव
कायेभ्यःfrom the bodies
कायेभ्यः:
Apadana
TypeNoun
Rootकाय
FormMasculine, Ablative, Plural
शिरसाम्of heads
शिरसाम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशिरस्
FormNeuter, Genitive, Plural
पतताम्of (those) falling
पतताम्:
TypeVerb
Rootपत्
FormPresent active participle (शतृ), Neuter, Genitive, Plural
रणेin battle
रणे:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootरण
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
शुश्रुवेwas heard
शुश्रुवे:
TypeVerb
Rootश्रु
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd, Singular, Ātmanepada
सुमहान्very great
सुमहान्:
TypeAdjective
Rootसुमहत्
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
शब्दःsound/noise
शब्दः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootशब्द
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
पतताम्of (those) falling
पतताम्:
TypeVerb
Rootपत्
FormPresent active participle (शतृ), Neuter, Genitive, Plural
अश्मनाम्of stones/rocks
अश्मनाम्:
TypeNoun
Rootअश्मन्
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
इवlike/as if
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
B
battlefield (raṇa)
H
heads (śiras)
B
bodies (kāya)
S
stones (aśman)

Educational Q&A

The verse does not preach directly; it conveys the ethical gravity of war through stark imagery. By likening the sound of severed heads striking the ground to falling stones, it forces the listener to confront the human cost that accompanies martial duty and political ambition.

Sañjaya describes the battlefield scene: in the midst of combat, heads cut from bodies are falling, and the impact produces a loud, continuous roar, compared to a shower of stones.