Shloka 49

कबन्‍न्धै: संवृतं सर्व ताम्रा भ्रे: खमिवावृतम्‌ | जिनके सारे अंग खूनसे लथपथ हो रहे थे, उन कबन्धोंसे भरा हुआ वह सारा रफक्षेत्र लाल रंगके बादलोंसे ढके हुए आकाशके समान जान पड़ता था ।। वज्राशनिसमस्पर्श: सुपर्वभिरजिद्वागै:

kabaṇdhaiḥ saṃvṛtaṃ sarvaṃ tāmrābhraiḥ kham ivāvṛtam |

कबन्धैः संवृतं सर्वं ताम्राभ्रैः खमिवावृतम् । रुधिरार्द्राङ्गैस्तैः क्षेत्रं ताम्रमेघैरिवाम्बरम् ॥ वज्राशनिसमस्पर्शः सुपर्वभिरजिद्वागैः ॥

कबन्धैःby/with headless trunks (kabandhas)
कबन्धैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootकबन्ध
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
संवृतम्covered, enclosed
संवृतम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootसम् + वृ (वृञ् आवरणे)
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)
सर्वम्entire, all
सर्वम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular
ताम्राभ्रैःby copper-red clouds
ताम्राभ्रैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootताम्र + अभ्र
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Plural
खम्sky
खम्:
Karma
TypeNoun
Root
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
इवlike, as
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
आवृतम्covered, enveloped
आवृतम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootआ + वृ (वृञ् आवरणे)
FormNeuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular, क्त (past passive participle)
वज्राशनिसमस्पर्शःwhose touch is like a thunderbolt
वज्राशनिसमस्पर्शः:
TypeAdjective
Rootवज्र + अशनि + सम + स्पर्श
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
सुपर्वभिःwith good/strong joints (segments)
सुपर्वभिः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootसु + पर्व
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Plural
अजिद्वागैःwith swift-moving (lit. battle-going) ones
अजिद्वागैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootअजि + द्वाग
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
B
battlefield (raṇakṣetra)
K
kabaṇdha (headless trunks)
S
sky (kha)
C
copper-red clouds (tāmrābhra)

Educational Q&A

The verse offers a stark ethical reminder: even when war is framed as a duty, its reality is gruesome and dehumanizing. By comparing the blood-red field to a cloud-covered sky, the text invites the listener to contemplate the heavy karmic and moral weight of violence and the need for discernment (dharma) rather than triumphalism.

Sañjaya, narrating the battle to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, describes the battlefield as completely filled with headless trunks drenched in blood. The scene is so saturated with red that it resembles the sky covered by copper-colored clouds.