निष्टनन्तः सरुधिरा विसंज्ञा गाढवेदनाः ॥
शयाना बहवो वीराः कीर्तयन्तः सुहृज्जनम् ॥
सभिण्डिपालाः सप्रासाः सशक्त्यृष्टिपरश्वधाः ॥
सनिर्यूहाः सनिस्त्रिंशाः सशरासनतोमराः ॥
सबाणवर्माभरणाः सगदाः साङ्गदा रणे ॥
महाभुजगसंकाशा बाहवः परिघोपमाः ॥
उद्वेष्टन्ति विचेष्टन्ति संवेष्टन्ति च सर्वशः ॥
वेगं कुर्वन्ति संरब्धा निकृत्ताः परमेषुभिः ॥
niṣṭanantaḥ sarudhirā visaṃjñā gāḍhavedanāḥ ||
śayānā bahavo vīrāḥ kīrtayantaḥ suhṛjjanam ||
sabhiṇḍipālāḥ saprāsāḥ saśaktyṛṣṭiparaśvadhāḥ ||
saniryūhāḥ sanistriṃśāḥ saśarāsanatomarāḥ ||
sabāṇavarmābharaṇāḥ sagadāḥ sāṅgadā raṇe ||
mahābhujagasaṃkāśā bāhavaḥ parighopamāḥ ||
udveṣṭanti viceṣṭanti saṃveṣṭanti ca sarvaśaḥ ||
vegaṃ kurvanti saṃrabdhā nikṛttāḥ parameṣubhiḥ ||
Groaning, blood-drenched, senseless, in fierce pain, many heroes lay crying out to their kin. With bhindipalas, spears, shaktis, rishtis, axes, with arrows, armor, ornaments, with maces, in bracelets, on the battlefield -- arms resembling great serpents, like clubs, writhe, thrash, and coil everywhere, jerking in frenzy, severed by excellent arrows.
f8dd5cd1f3c2 · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:45:02 PM UTC
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Severed arms, still clutching their weapons, "udveṣṭanti viceṣṭanti", writhe like serpents -- flesh moved by fading rage. The image is utterly dreadful. It is telling that the poem does not turn away from it: war is shown in the full horror of dismemberment. The verse teaches us not to be seduced by the glory of battle: behind the shine of valor lie writhing severed limbs and the groans of the dying calling for their kin; and whoever sees war as it truly is will not crave it, but will seek dharma and peace with all his strength, for this is the price of the sword.