Shloka 5
Gadāyuddhe Kṛṣṇopadeśaḥ (Kṛṣṇa’s Counsel in the Mace-Duel) — Śalya-parva 57
तथा तस्मिन् महायुद्धे वर्तमाने सुदारुणे । खटद्योतसंघैरिव खं दर्शनीयं व्यरोचत
tathā tasmin mahāyuddhe vartamāne sudāruṇe | khaṭadyotasaṅghair iva khaṃ darśanīyaṃ vyarocata ||
Sañjaya nói: Khi trận đại chiến khốc liệt ấy đang cuồn cuộn diễn ra, bầu trời lại rực sáng một vẻ đẹp lạ lùng, như thể đầy ắp những đàn đom đóm.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral dissonance of war: even when violence is at its most dreadful, nature and perception may present a captivating beauty. This contrast cautions against confusing outward splendor with righteousness, keeping attention on the ethical gravity of destruction.
Sañjaya describes the ongoing, extremely fierce battle and uses a simile: the sky appears radiant and visually striking, as if filled with swarms of fireflies—an image that conveys both brightness and the dense, flickering tumult of the battlefield atmosphere.