Shloka 75
दुर्योधन-कर्ण-संवादः
Duryodhana–Karna Dialogue on Vyūha-bheda and Daiva
ततोडब्रवीन्महाबाहुर्द्रपदो बुद्धिमान् नूप । लुब्धो<यं क्षत्रियान् हन्ति व्याघ्र: क्षुद्रमृगानिव,नरेश्वर! उस समय महाबाहु बुद्धिमान राजा ट्रपदने कहा--'जैसे बाघ छोटे मृगोंको मारता है, उसी प्रकार यह व्याध-तुल्य ब्राह्मण क्षत्रियोंका संहार कर रहा है
tato 'bravīn mahābāhur drupado buddhimān nṛpa | lubdho 'yaṁ kṣatriyān hanti vyāghraḥ kṣudramṛgān iva ||
Then the mighty-armed, wise King Drupada spoke: “This man, driven by greed, is slaughtering the Kṣatriyas—just as a tiger kills small deer.” The remark frames the killing not as righteous warfare but as predatory violence, condemning the motive and the imbalance of power behind the act.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse condemns violence motivated by greed and likens such killing to predation rather than dharmic combat, implying that motive and proportionality matter in judging wartime action.
Sañjaya reports that King Drupada speaks up, describing an aggressor who is killing Kṣatriyas like a tiger preying on weaker animals, highlighting the brutality and the perceived unrighteous motive.