Shloka 14
Droṇanidhana-anantaraṃ sainya-viṣādaḥ and Karṇa-pravṛttiḥ
After Droṇa’s fall: army despondency and Karṇa’s advance
यस्य प्रसादात् कौन्तेया राजपुत्रा महारथा: । महारथत्वं सम्प्राप्तास्तथान्ये वसुधाधिपा:
yasya prasādāt kaunteyā rājaputrā mahārathāḥ | mahārathatvaṃ samprāptās tathānye vasudhādhipāḥ ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “By whose favor the sons of Kuntī—royal princes and great chariot-warriors—attained the status of mahārathas; and likewise other rulers of the earth as well.”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how worldly eminence—especially martial rank and royal stature—is often attributed to a source of favor (prasāda), pointing to the interplay of personal effort with patronage, blessing, or enabling support, and inviting reflection on the ethical use of such bestowed power.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra speaks about the Pāṇḍavas and other kings attaining the celebrated status of mahārathas, attributing their rise to the favor of a particular benefactor (implied to be a powerful source whose support elevates warriors and rulers).