Shloka 21

धावतां च रथौघानां निघ्नतां च पृथक्‌ पृथक्‌,भारत! दौड़ते तथा पृथक्‌-पृथक्‌ प्रहार करते हुए रथसमूहोंका शब्द दुन्दुभियोंकी ध्वनिसे मिलकर और भी भयंकर हो गया। आपके और पाण्डवोंके घमासान युद्धमें परस्पर आघात-प्रत्याघात करनेवाले नरवीरोंका भयानक शब्द आकाशमें व्याप्त हो रहा था

dhāvatāṁ ca rathaughānāṁ nighnatāṁ ca pṛthak pṛthak, bhārata!

سنجے نے کہا—اے بھارت، دوڑتے ہوئے رتھوں کے انبوہ اور جدا جدا جگہوں پر وار کرنے والوں کے شور میں، دُندُبھِیوں کی گرج مل کر آواز کو اور زیادہ ہولناک بنا گئی۔ تمہارے بیٹوں اور پانڈوؤں کے اس گھمسان معرکے میں ضرب و جوابِ ضرب کرنے والے نر ویروں کی دہشت ناک گونج آسمان میں پھیل گئی۔

धावताम्of (those) running
धावताम्:
Adhikarana
TypeVerb
Rootधाव्
Formशतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
रथौघानाम्of the masses/streams of chariots
रथौघानाम्:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootरथौघ
FormMasculine, Genitive, Plural
निघ्नताम्of (those) striking/slaying
निघ्नताम्:
Adhikarana
TypeVerb
Rootहन् (नि-हन्)
Formशतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
पृथक्separately
पृथक्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपृथक्
पृथक्each by each / individually
पृथक्:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपृथक्
भारतO Bharata (descendant of Bharata)
भारत:
TypeNoun
Rootभारत
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sañjaya
B
Bhārata (Dhṛtarāṣṭra as addressee)
C
Chariots (ratha)
K
Kettledrums/war-drums (dundubhi, implied by context)
K
Kauravas (your sons, implied by context)
P
Pāṇḍavas (implied by context)

Educational Q&A

The verse is primarily descriptive rather than doctrinal: it underscores the overwhelming, impersonal momentum of war—hosts in motion, scattered clashes, and a sky-filling roar. Ethically, it hints at the gravity of collective violence: once battle is unleashed, individual valor becomes part of a larger, terrifying machinery whose consequences exceed any single warrior’s intent.

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the intensifying combat: chariot formations charge, collide, and fight in dispersed one-on-one or small-group engagements. The noise of impacts and counter-impacts, amplified by war-drums, becomes so fierce that it seems to pervade the heavens—signaling the full escalation of the Kaurava–Pāṇḍava battle.