चामरापीडकवचाः स्रस्तान्त्रनयनासवः ॥
सारोहास् तुरगाः पेतुः पार्थबाणहताः क्षितौ ॥
विप्रविद्धासिनखराश् छिन्नवर्मर्ष्टिशक्तयः ॥
पत्तयश् छिन्नवर्माणः कृपणं शेरते हताः ॥
तैर् हतैर् हन्यमानैश् च पतद्भिः पतितैर् अपि ॥
भ्रमद्भिर् निष्टनद्भिश् च घोरम् आयोधनं बभौ ॥
cāmarāpīḍakavacāḥ srastāntranayanāsavaḥ ||
sārohās turagāḥ petuḥ pārthabāṇahatāḥ kṣitau ||
vipraviddhāsinakharāś chinnavarmarṣṭiśaktayaḥ ||
pattayaś chinnavarmāṇaḥ kṛpaṇaṃ śerate hatāḥ ||
tair hatair hanyamānaiś ca patadbhiḥ patitair api ||
bhramadbhir niṣṭanadbhiś ca ghoram āyodhanaṃ babhau ||
War horses in fly-whisks, headbands, and mail — with bowels fallen out, eyes and breath given up — together with their riders toppled to the ground, struck by the arrows of Partha. With swords and knives strewn about, with hauberks, blades, and spears cut through, in shattered mail, wretched, lay the slain foot warriors. From all those — the slain and the perishing, the falling and the already fallen, the thrashing and the moaning — the battlefield appeared dreadful.
ebf9c6697f9f · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:00:04 PM UTC
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The list here is deliberately merciless: the slain and the still perishing, the falling and the already fallen, the thrashing and the moaning — as if the field embraces every stage of dying at once. In this accumulation the true face of the 'dreadful arena' shows itself: not a moment of heroism, but long, many-voiced suffering. It is significant that armor, fly-whisks, and the trappings of horses are named alongside spilled entrails — all finery turns to nothing before the face of death. The verse teaches that behind the glory of battle stands a vale of torment, where pride of equipage means nothing; and that compassion must not fade even toward the enemy in his dying hour — for in suffering and decay all are made equal, and the victor is called to remember this, lest he grow proud.