Shloka 663
शल्यस्य पाण्डवसेनापीडनम् — Śalya’s Assault on the Pāṇḍava Host
with Omens and Bhīma’s Counter
रणे5हन्यत पुत्रैस्ते शतशशो5थ सहस््रशः । राजन! महारथी पाण्डुपुत्र कौरव-सेनाका वध करने लगे। इसी प्रकार आपके पुत्र भी पाण्डव-सेनाके सैकड़ों, हजारों वीरोंका समरांगणमें सब ओरसे अपने बाणोंद्वारा संहार करने लगे
sañjaya uvāca |
raṇe 'hanyata putrais te śataśaśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ |
rājan mahārathī pāṇḍuputraḥ kaurava-senāyā vadhaṃ kartum ārabdhavān |
tathā tava putrā api pāṇḍava-senāyāḥ śatān sahasrāṇi ca vīrāṇāṃ samaraṅgaṇe sarvataḥ svabāṇaiḥ saṃjahruḥ ||
सञ्जय उवाच—रणे तव पुत्रैः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशो वीराः निहताः। राजन्, पाण्डुपुत्राणां महारथी कौरवसेनायां महावधं चकार। तथैव तव पुत्रा अपि समराङ्गणे सर्वतः स्वशरैः पाण्डवसेनायाः शतशः सहस्रशश्च वीरान् संजघ्नुः।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the grim symmetry of war: both sides, driven by martial duty and rivalry, inflict mass destruction. It implicitly highlights the ethical cost of unchecked vengeance and the way battlefield prowess can eclipse compassion and restraint.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that the fighting has intensified: a Pāṇḍava great warrior is slaughtering the Kaurava forces, and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons respond in kind, killing large numbers of Pāṇḍava warriors with volleys of arrows across the battlefield.