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Shloka 15

अर्धासिभिस्तथा खड्गैस्तोमरै: सपरश्वधैः । निकृष्टयुद्धं संसक्तं महदासीत्‌ सुदारुणम्‌,एक ओर धारवाली और दुधारी तलवारों, तोमरों तथा फरसोंद्वारा जो अत्यन्त निकटसे युद्ध चल रहा था, वह भी बहुत ही क्रूरतापूर्ण एवं भयंकर था

ardhāsibhistathā khaḍgaistomaraiḥ saparaśvadhaiḥ | nikṛṣṭayuddhaṃ saṃsaktaṃ mahadāsīt sudāruṇam ||

सञ्जय उवाच—अर्धासिभिस्तथा खड्गैस्तोमरैः सपरश्वधैः। निकृष्टयुद्धं संसक्तं महदासीत्तु सुदारुणम्॥

अर्धासिभिःwith half-swords / single-edged swords
अर्धासिभिः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootअर्धासि
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
तथाand also
तथा:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा
खड्गैःwith swords
खड्गैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootखड्ग
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
तोमरैःwith javelins/spears
तोमरैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootतोमर
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
सपरश्वधैःtogether with axes
सपरश्वधैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootस-परश्वध
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
निकृष्टयुद्धम्close/hand-to-hand fighting
निकृष्टयुद्धम्:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootनिकृष्ट-युद्ध
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
संसक्तम्engaged, closely joined
संसक्तम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootसंसक्त
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
महत्great
महत्:
TypeAdjective
Rootमहत्
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular
आसीत्was
आसीत्:
TypeVerb
Rootअस्
FormImperfect, 3, Singular, Parasmaipada
सुदारुणम्very dreadful/cruel
सुदारुणम्:
TypeAdjective
Rootसु-दारुण
FormNeuter, Nominative, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
S
swords (ardhāsi, khaḍga)
T
tomara (spear/javelin)
P
paraśvadha (axe)

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights the ethical gravity of war when it turns into close-quarters killing: proximity removes distance and makes violence more personal, revealing how quickly restraint (dharma) can be overwhelmed by rage, fear, and the momentum of battle.

Sañjaya describes the battlefield escalating into tightly engaged hand-to-hand fighting, with warriors using swords, spears, and axes at very close range, resulting in a massive and terrifyingly cruel clash.