Shloka 8
हतप्रवीरा विध्वस्ता निकृत्ता निशितै: शरै: । सूतपुत्रे हते राजन पुत्रास्ते दुद्रुवुर्भयात्
hatapravīrā vidhvastā nikṛttā niśitaiḥ śaraiḥ | sūtaputre hate rājan putrās te dudruvur bhayāt ||
Dijo Sañjaya: Oh rey, cuando el hijo del auriga (Sūtaputra) fue abatido, tus hijos—ya privados de sus principales héroes, destrozados y cercenados por flechas agudas—huyeron presa del miedo.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how the fall of a central leader can collapse collective morale: when courage depends mainly on a single champion, fear spreads quickly after his defeat. Ethically, it underscores the fragility of adharmic confidence in war—power without inner steadiness and righteous grounding turns into panic when circumstances reverse.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that after Karṇa (called ‘Sūtaputra’) is killed, the Kaurava princes—already devastated by sharp arrows and deprived of their leading warriors—lose heart and flee the battlefield in fear.