Mahabharata 7.2.7 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 2, Shloka 7
Droṇa-parva Adhyāya 2: Karṇa’s lament, vow, and battle preparation after Bhīṣma’s fall
वसुप्रभावे वसुवीर्यसम्भवे गते वसूनेव वसुन्धराधिपे । वसूनि पुत्रांश्व वसुन्धरां तथा कुरूंश्व॒ शोचध्वमिमां च वाहिनीम्
vasuprabhāve vasuvīryasambhave gate vasūneva vasundharādhipe | vasūni putrāṁś ca vasundharāṁ tathā kurūṁś ca śocadhvam imāṁ ca vāhinīm ||
Karna dijo: «Aquel cuyo esplendor era como el de los Vasus, cuyo brío igualaba al de los Vasus, y que nació del rey Śāntanu—ahora ese señor de la tierra ha partido hacia los propios Vasus. Por eso, privados de Bhīṣma, llorad: por vuestras riquezas, por vuestros hijos, por la tierra, por los Kurus y su reino, y por este mismo ejército».
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores impermanence and the fragility of worldly supports: when a pillar-like protector (Bhīṣma) departs, attachment to wealth, heirs, territory, and military power is exposed as vulnerable. It also highlights the ethical weight of leadership in war—how the fall of a righteous elder destabilizes morale and the perceived legitimacy of a cause.
In the Drona Parva, after Bhīṣma is no longer present as the Kauravas’ foremost guardian, Karṇa addresses the Kaurava side, emphasizing Bhīṣma’s divine-like stature (likened to the Vasus) and declaring that he has ‘gone to the Vasus.’ Karṇa then urges them to mourn the loss and recognize the magnitude of what has been taken from their side—protector, prestige, and security.
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