Shloka 39
कर्णस्य सेनापत्याभिषेकः | Karṇa’s Consecration as Commander-in-Chief
(पाण्ड्यराजश्च विक्रान्तो बलवान् बाहुशालिना | अश्वत्थाम्ना हतस्तत्र गमितो वै यमक्षयम् ।।
sañjaya uvāca |
pāṇḍyarājaś ca vikrānto balavān bāhuśālinā |
aśvatthāmnā hataḥ tatra gamito vai yamakṣayam ||
ete cānye ca bahavaḥ pāṇḍavānāṃ mahārathāḥ |
hatā droṇena vikramya yan māṃ tvaṃ paripṛcchasi ||
Sañjaya sprach: Dort wurde der tapfere und mächtige König der Pāṇḍyas von Aśvatthāman, berühmt für die Kraft seiner Arme, erschlagen und in Yamas Wohnstatt gesandt. Und viele andere große Wagenkämpfer der Pāṇḍavas—nach denen du mich fragst—wurden ebenfalls von Droṇa mit Gewalt im Kampf niedergehauen.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh ethical reality of war: even renowned heroes fall when violence escalates. It implicitly warns that martial prowess, when driven by wrath and rivalry, leads swiftly to death and collective loss, pressing the listener to reflect on dharma amid conflict.
Sañjaya reports to the blind king (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) that Aśvatthāman has slain the Pāṇḍya king and that many other Pāṇḍava great warriors—those Dhṛtarāṣṭra is asking about—have been killed in battle by Droṇa through sheer prowess.