Shloka 16

Devanagari script

अयःकुन्तांश्व॒ पतितान्‌ मुसलानि गुरूणि च । शतघ्नी: पश्य चित्राश्न विपुलान्‌ परिघांस्तथा,'लोहेके कुन्त (भाले), भारी मूसल, विचित्र शतध्नियाँ और विशाल परिघ इधर-उधर पड़े हैं

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca |

ayaḥ-kuntāṃś ca patitān musalāni gurūṇi ca |

śataghnīḥ paśya citrāś ca vipulān parighāṃs tathā ||

Translation

సంజయుడు అన్నాడు—చూడుము, ఇనుప కుంతాలు (భాళ్లు) పడివున్నాయి, భారమైన ముసలాలు కూడా; విచిత్రమైన శతఘ్నీలు, విస్తారమైన పరిఘాలు కూడ చెల్లాచెదురుగా ఉన్నాయి।

Word by Word

अयःकुन्तान्iron spears/javelins

चand

पतितान्fallen, lying (on the ground)

मुसलानिclubs, pestles

गुरूणिheavy

चand

शतघ्नीःsataghnis (spiked/stone-throwing war-engines)

पश्यsee!, behold!

चित्राःvariegated, strange, wondrous

विपुलान्huge, massive

परिघान्iron bars, bludgeons

तथाlikewise, also

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

iron spears (ayaḥ-kunta)

maces (musala)

śataghnī weapons

parigha clubs/bars

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse offers a stark ethical reminder: war reduces human aims to scattered instruments of killing. The ‘wondrous’ variety of weapons highlights ingenuity turned toward harm, inviting reflection on restraint (dama) and the tragic consequences when dharma is pursued through unchecked violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya, narrating the battle to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, points out the battlefield littered with fallen weapons—spears, heavy maces, śataghnīs, and massive parighas—emphasizing the intensity of the fighting and the devastation left in its wake.