Shloka 17
जो सागर-तटवर्ती किरातोंके स्वामी तथा देवराज इन्द्रके अत्यन्त आदरणीय प्रिय सखा थे, सदा क्षत्रिय-धर्ममें तत्पर रहनेवाले वे धर्मात्मा राजा भगदत्त भी अर्जुनके साथ पराक्रम दिखाकर यमराजके लोकमें चले गये ।। तथा कौरवदायादो न्यस्तशस्त्रो महायशा: । हतो भूरिश्रवा राजन् शूर: सात्यकिना युधि,राजन्! कौरववंशी महायशस्वी शूरवीर भूरिश्रवा, जो अपने अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंका परित्याग कर चुके थे, युद्धस्थलमें सात्यकिके हाथसे मारे गये
sañjaya uvāca | yo sāgara-taṭavartī kirātānāṃ svāmī tathā devarāja-indrasya atyanta-ādaraṇīyaḥ priya-sakhā āsīt, sadā kṣatriya-dharme tatparaḥ sa dharmātmā rājā bhagadattaḥ api arjunena saha parākramaṃ darśayitvā yamarāja-lokaṃ jagāma || tathā kaurava-dāyādaḥ nyasta-śastraḥ mahāyaśāḥ | hataḥ bhūriśravā rājan śūraḥ sātyakinā yudhi ||
Sañjaya said: “That righteous king Bhagadatta—lord of the Kirātas who dwell along the seacoast, and a dearly loved, highly honored friend of Indra, king of the gods—ever devoted to the kṣatriya code, displayed his valor in combat with Arjuna and then departed to the realm of Yama. Likewise, O King, the renowned Kuru scion, the heroic Bhūriśravā—having laid aside his weapons—was slain on the battlefield by Sātyaki.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage juxtaposes two ideals: steadfast kṣatriya-duty culminating in an honorable death (Bhagadatta), and the moral strain of killing a disarmed opponent (Bhūriśravā). It highlights how war tests dharma—valor and duty are praised, yet ethical boundaries become contested when weapons are laid down.
Sañjaya reports to the king that Bhagadatta, famed as a coastal Kirāta ruler and friend of Indra, fought Arjuna and died, going to Yama’s realm. He then reports that Bhūriśravā, a renowned Kuru warrior who had set aside his weapons, was killed in battle by Sātyaki.