Vāsudeva-Māhātmya: Duryodhana’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Theological Account of Keśava
कुर्वाणं समरे कर्म सूदयानं च वाहिनीम् | व्याक्रोशन्त रणे तत्र नरा बहुविधा बहु
kurvāṇaṃ samare karma sūdayānaṃ ca vāhinīm | vyākrośanta raṇe tatra narā bahuvidhā bahu ||
เมื่อท่านกระทำกิจในสมรและสังหารกองทัพอยู่ ณ รณภูมินั้น ผู้คนหลากหลายต่างพากันร้องโหยหวนกึกก้องซ้ำแล้วซ้ำเล่า
संजय उवाच
The verse foregrounds the human cost of battle: when martial action turns into indiscriminate slaughter of an army, the natural consequence is widespread anguish and outcry. It implicitly contrasts the kṣatriya’s duty to fight with the ethical gravity of violence and the suffering it produces.
Sañjaya reports that amid the fighting, as a warrior continues his combat deeds and cuts down the opposing forces, the battlefield fills with loud cries from many warriors—shouts of pain, fear, and distress—signaling the chaos and devastation of the encounter.