Mahabharata — Bhishma Parva, Shloka 4
भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ६६: तुमुलसंग्रामवर्णनम्
The Tumult of Battle Described
सेनाका वह अनन्त वेग देवताओंके लिये भी दुःसह था। पूर्णिमाको बढ़े हुए समुद्रके समान अपार जान पड़ता था ।।
sa senā ca vah ananta-vegaḥ devatānām api duḥsahaḥ āsīt | pūrṇimāyāṃ vardhamāna-samudra iva apāraḥ pratibhāti || ratha-nāgāśva-kalilaṃ śaṅkha-dundubhi-nāditam | ananta-ratha-pādātaṃ rajasā sarvato vṛtam ||
Sinabi ni Sanjaya: Ang hukbong iyon ay sumalakay na may di-masukat na bilis, na maging ang mga diyos ay mahihirapang tiisin, at waring walang hanggan—gaya ng dagat na lumolobo sa gabi ng kabilugan ng buwan. Siksik ito sa mga karwaheng pandigma, elepante, at kabayo; umuugong sa ingay ng mga kabibe at dagundong ng mga tambol. Di-mabilang ang mga karwahe at mga kawal na naglalakad, at ang alikabok ay kumalat sa lahat ng dako, tinatakpan ang tanawin.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse is primarily descriptive, but it implicitly warns that the sheer mass, speed, and clamor of war can overwhelm judgment. In such conditions, maintaining dharma requires inner steadiness, because external spectacle—numbers, noise, and fear—pushes people toward impulsive, dehumanizing action.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the terrifying advance of the forces: the host appears limitless like a full-moon-swollen sea, packed with chariots, elephants, horses, and innumerable foot-soldiers, roaring with conches and drums while dust rises everywhere.
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