Shloka 59
Drupada’s Alarm and Inquiry Regarding Śikhaṇḍinī (द्रुपदस्य भय-विमर्शः)
द्रुपद: सह पुत्रेण सिद्धार्थन शिखण्डिना । मुर्दे च परमां लेभे पाज्चाल्य: सह बान्धवै:
drupadaḥ saha putreṇa siddhārthena śikhaṇḍinā | murde ca paramāṃ lebhe pāñcālyaḥ saha bāndhavaiḥ ||
Bhīṣma said: Drupada, together with his son Śikhaṇḍin—whose purpose had been fulfilled—attained the highest end; and the king of the Pāñcālas too, along with his kinsmen, reached that supreme state.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents death—especially in a dharma-charged conflict—as the completion of a destined purpose (siddhārtha) and as a possible ‘highest end’ (paramā gati). It reflects the epic’s view that outcomes in war are ethically complex: violent events can still be narrated as the fulfillment of prior vows, roles, and karmic trajectories.
Bhīṣma reports that Drupada and his son Śikhaṇḍin met death, and that the Pāñcāla leader along with his relatives likewise reached their final end. The emphasis is on their end being ‘supreme’ and on Śikhaṇḍin’s role as one whose objective has been accomplished.