Shloka 4
Droṇanidhana-anantaraṃ sainya-viṣādaḥ and Karṇa-pravṛttiḥ
After Droṇa’s fall: army despondency and Karṇa’s advance
सम्पूज्य च यथान्यायं धृतराष्ट्र महीपतिम् । हा कष्टमिति चोक््त्वा स ततो वचनमाददे,राजा धृतराष्ट्रका यथायोग्य सम्मान करके संजयने “हाय! बड़े कष्टकी बात है” ऐसा कहकर फिर इस प्रकार वार्तालाप आरम्भ किया--
sampūjya ca yathānyāyaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ mahīpatim | hā kaṣṭam iti coktvā sa tato vacanam ādade ||
Having duly paid respectful homage to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra in the proper manner, he exclaimed, “Alas, how grievous this is!” and then proceeded to speak further.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in moments of catastrophe, one should uphold yathā-nyāya—propriety and rightful conduct—by showing due respect to elders and rulers; the lament “hā kaṣṭam” highlights the moral weight and sorrow that accompany adharma-driven conflict.
The narrator reports that, after formally honoring King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the speaker expresses grief—“Alas, this is grievous”—and then begins the next portion of his account, setting a solemn tone for the events to be described.