Shloka 50

धृतराष्ट्र–संजय संवादः: कर्ण–घटोत्कचयोर्निशायुद्धवर्णनम्

Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Sañjaya Dialogue: Description of the Night Engagement of Karṇa and Ghaṭotkaca

Devanagari script

क्षरत: शोणितं भूरि शस्त्रच्छेददरीमुखै: । दरीमुखैरिव गिरीन्‌ गैरिकाम्बुपरिस्रवान्‌

Transliteration

kṣarataḥ śoṇitaṃ bhūri śastraccheda-darīmukhaiḥ | darīmukhair iva girīn gairikāmbu-parisravān |

Translation

क्षरतः शोणितं भूरि शस्त्रच्छेददरीमुखैः । दरीमुखैरिव गिरीन् गैरिकाम्बुपरिस्रवान् ॥

Word by Word

क्षरतःtwo (things) flowing/oozing

शोणितम्blood

भूरिmuch, abundant

शस्त्रच्छेददरीमुखैःwith cleft-mouths (gashes) caused by weapon-cuts

दरीमुखैःwith cleft-mouths (ravine-like openings)

इवlike, as if

गिरीन्mountains

गैरिकाम्बुपरिस्रवान्having streams of red-ochre water flowing around/down

Speaker

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच

Characters & Entities

Śrī Kṛṣṇa

weapons (śastra)

blood (śoṇita)

mountains (giri)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses a stark simile to highlight the moral weight of war: when conflict escalates beyond restraint, suffering becomes vast and visible. It implicitly urges discernment (dharma) and responsibility for the human cost of violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kṛṣṇa describes the battlefield aftermath: blood pours from deep weapon-made gashes in bodies, compared to red-ochre streams running down mountain ravines—an image emphasizing the scale and horror of the fighting.