Shloka 24
इत्येवमुक्त्वा विरराम शल्यो दुर्योधनं शोकपरीतचेता: । हा कर्ण हा कर्ण इति ब्रुवाण- मार्त विसंज्ञं भृशमश्रुनेत्रम्
ity evam uktvā virarāma śalyo duryodhanaṃ śokaparītacetāḥ | hā karṇa hā karṇa iti bruvāṇaṃ ārta-visañjñaṃ bhṛśam aśrunetram ||
ऐसा कहकर शल्य विराम हो गये; उनका चित्त शोक से घिर गया। दुर्योधन भी व्याकुल होकर “हा कर्ण! हा कर्ण!” पुकारने लगा। वह सुध-बुध खो बैठा, और उसके नेत्रों से आँसुओं की अविरल धारा वेग से बहने लगी।
शल्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the human cost of war: even kings and commanders are undone by grief. It implicitly warns that attachment to power and reliance on a single champion culminate in collapse when that support is lost, revealing the fragility of adharma-driven ambition.
After speaking to Duryodhana, Śalya stops, overcome with sorrow. Duryodhana, devastated by Karṇa’s fall, repeatedly cries out Karṇa’s name, becomes nearly senseless, and weeps uncontrollably.