Shloka 78
Chapter 23: Śakuni Reports, Kaurava Advance, and Arjuna’s Penetration of the Host
बहवश्च गतप्राणा: क्षत्रिया जयगृद्धिन: । भूमावभ्यपतन् राजन् शरवृष्टिभिरावृता:,राजन! बहुत-से विजयाभिलाषी क्षत्रिय बाणोंकी वर्षासे आच्छादित हो प्राणोंका परित्याग करके पृथ्वीपर पड़े थे
bahavaś ca gataprāṇāḥ kṣatriyā jayagṛddhinaḥ | bhūmāv abhyapatan rājan śaravṛṣṭibhir āvṛtāḥ ||
ข้าแต่พระราชา! เหล่ากษัตริย์นักรบผู้กระหายชัยชนะจำนวนมาก ถูกสายฝนแห่งลูกศรปกคลุม ครั้นสิ้นลมหายใจแล้วก็ล้มลงสู่พื้นพิภพ
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the tragic outcome of victory-obsession in war: when the desire to win becomes greed, it leads to mass destruction. It implicitly contrasts righteous duty with uncontrolled craving for triumph, reminding the listener that martial glory is fleeting and paid for with lives.
Sanjaya reports to King Dhritarashtra that many kshatriya fighters have been killed in the battle. Overwhelmed by continuous volleys of arrows, they collapse onto the ground, illustrating the intensity of the fighting in the Shalya Parva.