Shloka 31
अर्जुनकर्णसंनिपातवर्णनम् / The Convergence of Arjuna and Karṇa
त्वया रणे निहतः सूतपुत्र: कच्चिच्छेते भूमितले दुरात्मा । प्रियश्च मे परमो वै कृतो<यं त्वया रणे सूतपुत्रं निहत्य
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca |
tvayā raṇe nihataḥ sūtaputraḥ kaccic chete bhūmital e durātmā |
priyaś ca me paramo vai kṛto ’yaṃ tvayā raṇe sūtaputraṃ nihatya |
Yudhiṣṭhira dijo: «¿Ha sido abatido por ti en la batalla el hijo del auriga—yace ahora ese malvado sobre el suelo? Al matar en la lucha al hijo del auriga, has realizado para mí un hecho sumamente querido y el más anhelado.»
युधिषछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral tension of war: even a righteous king like Yudhiṣṭhira experiences relief and satisfaction at an enemy’s fall, revealing how dharma in battle can mix duty with personal emotion and the desire to end a grave threat.
After the climactic fighting, Yudhiṣṭhira questions Arjuna to confirm whether Karṇa (called ‘Sūtaputra’) has truly been killed and lies on the battlefield, and he declares that this act fulfills a most cherished objective for him.