Shloka 29
कर्णस्य दानप्रतिज्ञा–शल्योपदेश–वाक्ययुद्धम्
Karna’s Gift-Vows, Shalya’s Counsel, and the Battle of Words
क्षुण्णगात्रा महाराज विक्षिप्य च पुन: पुनः । अपरे व्यजनानीव विकश्राम्य निहता मृथे
kṣuṇṇagātrā mahārāja vikṣipya ca punaḥ punaḥ | apare vyajanānīva vikāśrāmya nihatā mṛdhe ||
Wika ni Sañjaya: O Hari, may ilang mandirigmang nadurog ang mga sangkap, sinunggaban at inihagis nang paulit-ulit; ang iba nama’y pinaikot na parang pamaypay at pinaslang sa larangan. Maraming dambuhalang elepante ang sumalakay sa loob ng hukbo, biglang dumakma sa mga kawal na naglalakad, paulit-ulit na ibinagsak at inalog ang kanilang katawan hanggang madurog, at ang ilan ay pinaikot na parang pamaypay at pinatay sa digmaan.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the dehumanizing brutality of war: once battle is unleashed, bodies are treated as objects to be crushed, flung, and whirled. It implicitly warns that even when framed as kṣatriya duty, warfare carries grave ethical cost and widespread suffering.
Sañjaya reports to the king that in the fighting, some warriors are repeatedly seized and hurled, their limbs crushed; others are swung around ‘like hand-fans’ and killed. It is a vivid battlefield image of combatants being violently tossed and slain.