Shloka 27

कर्णनिधनश्रवणम् — Hearing of Karṇa’s Fall and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament

Devanagari script

राजा भगीर थो वृद्धो बृहत्क्षत्रश्न केकय: । पराक्रमन्तौ विक्रान्ती निहतौ वीर्यवत्तरो,बूढ़े राजा भगीरथ और केकयनरेश बृहत्क्षत्र--ये दोनों अत्यन्त बलवान्‌ और पराक्रमी वीर थे, जो युद्धमें पराक्रम दिखाते हुए मारे गये

Transliteration

sañjaya uvāca | rājā bhagīratho vṛddho bṛhatkṣatraś ca kekayaḥ | parākramantau vikrāntau nihatau vīryavattarau ||

Translation

Sañjaya dit : Le roi âgé Bhāgīratha et Bṛhatkṣatra, souverain des Kékayas—tous deux d’une force et d’une vaillance extrêmes—furent tués alors qu’ils déployaient leur prouesse au combat. Le vers souligne la dévastation impartiale de la guerre : même les anciens, illustres et puissants, tombent lorsque le dharma est éclipsé par la fureur des armes.

Word by Word

राजाking

भगीरथःBhagīratha

वृद्धःold, aged

बृहत्क्षत्रःBṛhatkṣatra (name; lit. 'great warrior/sovereignty')

केकयःthe Kekaya (king/person of Kekaya)

पराक्रमन्तौexerting valor, displaying prowess (the two)

विक्रान्तौvaliant, heroic (the two)

निहतौslain (the two)

वीर्यवत्तरौvery mighty, full of valor (the two)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Bhāgīratha

Bṛhatkṣatra

Kekaya (kingdom/people)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the inexorable cost of war: valor and status do not protect even powerful elders. It invites reflection on how martial duty (kṣatriya-dharma) operates within the larger tragedy where many fall despite courage.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports battlefield deaths: the aged king Bhāgīratha and Bṛhatkṣatra, the Kekaya ruler, are slain while fighting bravely.