Shloka 23

Kailāsa-darśana, Badarī-vāsa, and Sarasvatī–Dvaitavana Transition (कैलासदर्शन–बदरीवास–सरस्वतीद्वैतवनगमनम्)

Devanagari script

तेषामेवं विमूढानामन्योन्यमभिधावताम्‌ शिरांसि विशियेर्दीप्तैन्यहनं शतसड्घश:

Transliteration

teṣām evaṁ vimūḍhānām anyonyam abhidhāvatām śirāṁsi viśiṣyair dīptair nyahanam śataśaḥ saṅghaśaḥ

Translation

Arjuna nói: “Khi bọn chúng đã mê loạn như thế, xô vào nhau trong hỗn độn, ta liền chém rơi đầu chúng—hết lần này đến lần khác, từng trăm, từng tốp—bằng những vũ khí rực sáng, tối thượng của ta.”

Word by Word

तेषाम्of them

एवम्thus

विमूढानाम्of the deluded/confused (ones)

अन्योन्यम्one another, mutually

अभिधावताम्of (those) running towards/charging at

शिरांसिheads

विशियेःyou cut off / you severed

दीप्तैःwith blazing (weapons)

न्यहनम्I struck down / I slew

शतसङ्घशःin hundreds of groups; by hundreds

Speaker

अजुन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Arjuna

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how delusion (moha) leads to chaotic, self-destructive action, while a disciplined warrior acts decisively within the harsh demands of kṣatriya duty; it implicitly contrasts confusion with focused agency and responsibility.

What is happening in the narrative?

Arjuna narrates a combat scene: opponents, bewildered and colliding in mutual aggression, rush about, and he cuts them down in large numbers with shining, powerful weapons.