Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 38

Adhyāya 92: Irāvanta-śoka, punaḥ-pravṛttiḥ saṅgrāmasya

Arjuna’s grief and the battle’s renewed intensity

अनुकर्ष: शुभ राजन्‌ योक्त्रैश्वेव सरश्मिभि: । संकीर्णा वसुधा भाति वसन्ते कुसुमैरिव

sañjaya uvāca | anukarṣaḥ śubha rājan yoktraiś caiva saraśmibhiḥ | saṅkīrṇā vasudhā bhāti vasante kusumair iva, rājan |

Sañjaya nói: “Tâu bậc minh quân, mặt đất rải đầy anukarṣa (dây kéo), ách và dây cương; nó ánh lên như thể vào mùa xuân được phủ bởi những cánh hoa rụng. Hình ảnh ấy nhấn mạnh nghịch lý khốc liệt của chiến tranh: vẻ đẹp của sự tái sinh lẽ ra phải có, nay lại được phản chiếu bằng những mảnh vụn của trận mạc—huy hoàng hóa thành đổ nát, trang sức hóa thành chứng tích của hủy diệt.”

अनुकर्षःdrag/traction (of the chariot)
अनुकर्षः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootअनुकर्ष
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
शुभauspicious, noble
शुभ:
TypeAdjective
Rootशुभ
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
राजन्O king
राजन्:
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular
योक्त्रैःwith yokes/harnesses
योक्त्रैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootयोक्त्र
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Plural
इवas if, like
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
सरश्मिभिःwith reins (lit. with straps/lines)
सरश्मिभिः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootसरश्मि
FormMasculine, Instrumental, Plural
संकीर्णाstrewn, scattered, mixed up
संकीर्णा:
TypeAdjective
Rootसंकीर्ण
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
वसुधाthe earth/ground
वसुधा:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootवसुधा
FormFeminine, Nominative, Singular
भातिshines/appears
भाति:
TypeVerb
Rootभा
FormPresent, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada
वसन्तेin spring
वसन्ते:
Adhikarana
TypeNoun
Rootवसन्त
FormMasculine, Locative, Singular
कुसुमैःwith flowers
कुसुमैः:
Karana
TypeNoun
Rootकुसुम
FormNeuter, Instrumental, Plural
इवas if, like
इव:
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव
राजन्O king
राजन्:
TypeNoun
Rootराजन्
FormMasculine, Vocative, Singular

संजय उवाच

S
Sanjaya
K
King (Dhritarashtra, implied addressee)
E
earth/ground (vasudhā)
A
anukarṣa (chariot drag-rope/trace)
Y
yoke (yoktra)
R
reins (raśmi)

Educational Q&A

The verse conveys the moral irony of war: objects of royal power and martial pride—harness, yokes, reins—lie scattered like spring blossoms. Beauty becomes a metaphor for devastation, reminding the listener that worldly splendor is fragile and that violence converts ornament into debris.

Sanjaya reports to the king the दृश्य of the battlefield after intense fighting: the ground is covered with chariot-gear such as traces, yokes, and reins, making the earth appear as if strewn with flowers in spring.