Shloka 116
भूरिश्रवसि कर्णे च भीष्मे द्रोणे च श्रीमति । 'पाण्डवोंने भूरिश्रवा, कर्ण, भीष्म तथा श्रीमान् द्रोणाचार्यके प्रति बहुत-से नृशंस कार्य किये हैं
bhūriśravasi karṇe ca bhīṣme droṇe ca śrīmati |
Sañjaya said: “Against Bhūriśravas, Karṇa, Bhīṣma, and the illustrious Droṇa, the Pāṇḍavas have committed many ruthless acts.” The line frames the war’s moral tension: even celebrated warriors become occasions for accusations of cruelty, and victory is portrayed as ethically burdened rather than purely heroic.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in war, actions are judged not only by outcome but by perceived righteousness. Even when fighting for a just cause, conduct can be criticized as nṛśaṃsa (ruthless), reminding the listener that dharma in battle is complex and contested.
Sañjaya reports a charged assessment of the Pāṇḍavas’ behavior toward major Kaurava champions—Bhūriśravas, Karṇa, Bhīṣma, and Droṇa—casting their treatment of these famed elders/warriors as involving many harsh or ruthless deeds.