Shloka 8
भीष्मपातने कर्णविलापः | Karṇa’s Lament upon Seeing Bhīṣma Fallen
भीष्ममाधिरथिरद्दृष्टवा भरतानां महाद्युति: । अवतीर्य रथादार्तों बाष्पव्याकुलिताक्षरम्,पुण्यया क्षेम्यया वाचा चक्षुषा चावलोकय । “भारत! आपका कल्याण हो। मैं कर्ण हूँ। आप अपनी पवित्र एवं मंगलमयी वाणीद्वारा मुझसे कुछ कहिये और कल्याणमयी दृष्टिद्वारा मेरी ओर देखिये ।। ४ (]] $ 73७७३
bhīṣmam ādhirathir dṛṣṭvā bharatānāṁ mahādyutiḥ | avatīrya rathād ārto bāṣpa-vyākulitākṣaram | puṇyayā kṣemyayā vācā cakṣuṣā cāvalokaya | “bhārata! tava kalyāṇaṁ bhavatu | ahaṁ karṇaḥ | tvaṁ puṇyayā maṅgalamayyā vācā mayā saha kiñcid vada, kalyāṇamayyā dṛṣṭyā ca māṁ paśya” ||
Sañjaya said: Seeing Bhīṣma, Karna—the son of the charioteer, radiant with great splendor—descended from his chariot in anguish, his words choked and blurred by tears. With a voice meant for blessing and reassurance, and with an imploring gaze, he addressed him: “O Bhārata, may you be well. I am Karna. Speak something to me with your pure and auspicious speech, and look upon me with a benevolent, welfare-bringing glance.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid war, dharma expresses itself through reverence and humane conduct: Karna approaches the elder Bhīṣma not with arrogance but with grief, blessing, and a plea for auspicious speech and a benevolent glance—showing that ethical restraint and respect can persist within violent circumstances.
Sañjaya narrates that Karna, seeing Bhīṣma, gets down from his chariot, overwhelmed with tears. He addresses Bhīṣma respectfully as ‘Bhārata,’ identifies himself as Karna, and asks Bhīṣma to speak to him kindly and to look at him with a welfare-bringing gaze.