Shloka 12
Yudhiṣṭhira’s Lament for Karṇa and Renunciation-Oriented Self-Assessment (शोक-प्रलापः / त्याग-प्रवृत्तिः)
काममन्युपरीतास्ते क्रोधहर्षसमन्विता: । मृत्युयानं समारुह्मु गता वैवस्वतक्षयम्,वे काम और क्रोधके वशीभूत थे, हर्ष और रोषसे भरे हुए थे, अतः मृत्युरूपी रथपर सवार हो यमलोकमें चले गये
kāmamanyuparītās te krodhaharṣasamanvitāḥ | mṛtyuyānaṃ samāruhya gatā vaivasvatakṣayam ||
Dijo Yudhiṣṭhira: “Dominados por el deseo y la ira, henchidos de arrebato y furor, montaron el vehículo de la Muerte y fueron a la morada de Vaivasvata (Yama).”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that when people are dominated by kāma (desire) and krodha/manyu (anger), even moments of triumph (harṣa) become morally blinding; such loss of restraint leads to downfall—symbolized as being carried on Death’s vehicle to Yama’s realm.
Yudhiṣṭhira describes certain persons (contextually, those acting under violent passions) as departing this world: driven by desire and anger, they metaphorically ‘mount’ Death’s conveyance and reach Vaivasvata’s abode, i.e., the realm of Yama.