Shloka 2
अध्याय ६० — कर्णस्य पाञ्चाल-सोमक-निग्रहः
Karna’s Suppression of the Panchala–Somaka Forces
द्रवमाणे बलौघे च निरानन्दे मुहुर्मुहु: । किमकुर्वन्त कुरवस्तन्ममाचक्ष्व संजय
dravamāṇe balaughe ca nirānande muhur muhuḥ | kim akurvanta kuravas tan mamācakṣva sañjaya ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra dit : «Lorsque mes troupes massées se disloquaient et fuyaient sans cesse, privées de toute assurance et de toute joie, tandis que les Pāṇḍava pressaient l’attaque et taillaient mon armée à maintes reprises, que firent alors les Kuru ? Dis-le-moi, Sañjaya.»
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how quickly power collapses when morale and cohesion fail. In ethical terms, it points to the consequences of adharma-driven leadership: when a cause is weakened by injustice and fear, even a large army can become ‘nirānanda’—spiritless—and break repeatedly.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra questions Sañjaya about a critical moment in the battle: his forces are repeatedly routed and dispirited under the Pāṇḍavas’ pressure. He asks what the Kuru warriors did in response—seeking tactical and emotional reassurance amid worsening news.