Shloka 693
निपपात तदा भूमौ किंचित्प्राणो नराधिप: । बलवान शत्रुके द्वारा अत्यन्त घायल किया हुआ शत्रुसूदन राजा शकुनि तत्काल पृथ्वीपर गिर पड़ा। उस समय उसमें जीवनका कुछ-कुछ लक्षण शेष था
nipapāta tadā bhūmau kiñcit-prāṇo narādhipaḥ | balavān śatruke dvārā atyanta-ghāyala-kṛtaḥ śatrusūdanaḥ rājā śakuniḥ tatkālaṃ pṛthivīpar girāḥ paḍā | tasmin samaye tasmin jīvanasya kiñcit-kiñcil-lakṣaṇaṃ śeṣam āsīt |
Sañjaya said: Then the king fell to the ground, with only a faint remnant of life still in him. Overpowered by a mighty foe and grievously wounded, King Śakuni—once a relentless destroyer of enemies—collapsed upon the earth. The scene underscores the moral gravity of war: prowess and cunning alike are brought low, and even the most formidable agents of conflict are reduced to the fragile signs of breath.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the impermanence of power and the moral weight of warfare: even celebrated ‘slayers of enemies’ are subject to downfall, and violence culminates in suffering and vulnerability.
Sañjaya reports that King Śakuni, grievously wounded by a powerful opponent, collapses to the ground with only slight signs of life remaining.