ते रात्रौ कृतकर्माणः श्रान्ताः सूर्यस्य तेजसा ॥
क्षुत्पिपासापरीताङ्गा विसंज्ञा बहवो ऽभवन् ॥
शङ्खभेरीमृदङ्गानां कुञ्जराणां च गर्जताम् ॥
विस्फारितविकृष्टानां कार्मुकाणां च कूजताम् ॥
शब्दः समभवद् राजन् दिविस्पृग् भरतर्षभ ॥
द्रवतां च पदातीनां शस्त्राणां विनिपात्यताम् ॥
हयानां हेषतां चैव रथानां च निवर्तताम् ॥
क्रोशतां गर्जतां चैव तदासीत् तुमुलं महत् ॥
te rātrau kṛtakarmāṇaḥ śrāntāḥ sūryasya tejasā ||
kṣutpipāsāparītāṅgā visaṃjñā bahavo 'bhavan ||
śaṅkhabherīmṛdaṅgānāṃ kuñjarāṇāṃ ca garjatām ||
visphāritavikṛṣṭānāṃ kārmukāṇāṃ ca kūjatām ||
śabdaḥ samabhavad rājan divispṛg bharatarṣabha ||
dravatāṃ ca padātīnāṃ śastrāṇāṃ vinipātyatām ||
hayānāṃ heṣatāṃ caiva rathānāṃ ca nivartatām ||
krośatāṃ garjatāṃ caiva tadāsīt tumulaṃ mahat ||
They, having labored through the night, worn out by the heat of the sun, with bodies seized by hunger and thirst, many became senseless. The sound of conches, kettledrums, drums, and roaring elephants, of bows being drawn and stretched and humming — the sound rose, O king, touching the sky, O bull among the Bharatas. Of foot soldiers running, of weapons falling, of horses neighing, of chariots turning, of men shouting and roaring — then there was a great tumult.
a87e89148859 · published Jul 19, 2026, 5:08:17 PM UTC
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Warriors who fought all night now fall senseless from heat, hunger, and thirst: the flesh claims its due. It is telling that it is not the enemy but their own exhaustion that fells the fighters. The verse teaches that human endurance has a bottom: neither valor nor fury cancels the body's need for food, drink, and rest; and immoderate warfare wears down warriors more surely than weapons, turning them into senseless bodies even before a blow lands.