Shloka 23
वर्मभिश्व तथानीकैव्यवरकीर्णा वसुंधरा । वहाँ चूर-चूर हुए चक्कों, टूटे हुए उत्तमोत्तम आयुधों, टूक-टूक हुए धुरों, खण्डित हुए ईषादण्डों और बन्धुरों, मथे गये हाथियों, तोड़कर गिराये हुए ध्वजों, छिन्न-भिन्न कवचों और विनष्ट हुए सैनिकोंकी लाशोंसे वहाँकी पृथ्वी पट गयी थी || २१-२२ ह ।।
varmabhiś ca tathānīkaiḥ vyavakīrṇā vasuṃdharā | tatra cūrṇa-cūrṇīkṛtaiḥ cakraiḥ, ṭuṭitaiḥ uttamottamaiḥ āyudhaiḥ, ṭūkī-kṛtaiḥ dhuraiḥ, khaṇḍitaiḥ īṣādaṇḍaiḥ ca bandhuraiḥ, mathitaiḥ hastibhiḥ, bhittvā pātitaiḥ dhvajaiḥ, chinna-bhinnaiḥ kavacaiḥ ca vinaṣṭa-sainika-śavair tatra pṛthivī paṭitā iva babhūva || sragbhir ābharaṇaiḥ vastraiḥ anukarṣaiḥ ca, māriṣa ||
Sinabi ni Sañjaya: Ang lupa roon ay nagkalat ng mga baluti at ng mga hanay na nagkawatak-watak. Ang lupang iyon ay wari’y nababalutan ng mga labi ng digmaan—mga gulong na durog-durog, ang pinakamahuhusay na sandata’y nabali, mga pamatok na nagkahiwa-hiwalay, mga poste at kabit na nagkapira-piraso, mga elepanteng napinsala sa siksikan, mga watawat na hinila pabagsak at itinapon, mga baluting napunit, at mga bangkay ng mga mandirigmang bumagsak. Ito’y isang matinding larawan ng halagang moral ng labanan: kung saan ang giting at pagmamataas ay nauuwi sa kapahamakan, at ang larangan mismo ang sumasaksi sa pagwasak kapag ang dharma ay pinagtatalunan sa pamamagitan ng armas.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the impermanence of martial glory and the ethical weight of war: even the finest weapons, armour, and proud standards end as debris, while the earth is covered with the fallen. It invites reflection on how conflict—though framed within kṣatriya-duty—inevitably produces suffering and ruin.
Sanjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra a vivid scene from the battlefield: the ground is littered with shattered chariot parts, broken weapons, torn armour, toppled banners, mangled elephants, and the bodies of slain soldiers—an image of the battle’s intensity and aftermath.