Shloka 27
गदायुद्ध-समारम्भः
Commencement of the Mace-Duel Proceedings
नारदजीने कहा--रोहिणीनन्दन! भीष्मजी तो पहले ही मारे गये। फिर सिंधुराज जयद्रथ, द्रोण, वैकर्तन कर्ण तथा उसके महारथी पुत्र भी मारे गये हैं। भूरिश्रवा तथा पराक्रमी मद्रराज शल्य भी मार डाले गये ।। एते चान्ये च बहवस्तत्र तत्र महाबला: । प्रियान् प्राणान् परित्यज्य जयार्थ कौरवस्य वै
ete cānye ca bahavas tatra tatra mahābalāḥ | priyān prāṇān parityajya jayārthaṁ kauravasya vai ||
Nārada said: “O Rohiṇī’s son! Bhīṣma had already been slain. Then Jayadratha, king of Sindhu, Droṇa, Vaikartana Karna, and his sons—mighty chariot-warriors—were also killed. Bhūriśravas and the valiant Madra king Śalya were slain as well. And many other great warriors, here and there upon that field, abandoned their dear lives, indeed for the sake of victory for the Kaurava cause.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tragedy of war: countless powerful men surrender their very lives for a faction’s victory. It invites reflection on how loyalty to a cause and the thirst for triumph can demand the ultimate sacrifice, raising questions about the true value of ‘victory’ when purchased with lives.
Nārada is reporting the widespread deaths of warriors across the battlefield. This verse generalizes beyond named heroes, stating that many other mighty fighters, scattered in different places, have died—giving up their lives in pursuit of victory for the Kaurava side.