Shloka 43
धृष्टद्युम्नस्य द्रोणाभिमुख्यं तथा सात्यकि-कर्ण-समागमः
Dhṛṣṭadyumna’s advance toward Droṇa and the Sātyaki–Karṇa confrontation
न्यस्तशस्त्रस्य बालस्य विरथस्य विवर्मण: । अभिमन्योर्व॑धं तात धार्मिक: को नु पूजयेत्,तात! बालक अभिमन्यु शस्त्र, कवच और रथसे हीन हो चुका था, उस दशामें जो उसका वध किया गया, उसकी कौन धार्मिक पुरुष प्रशंसा कर सकता है
nyastaśastrasya bālasya virathasya vivarmaṇaḥ | abhimanyor vadhaṃ tāta dhārmikaḥ ko nu pūjayet ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai yang terkasih, ketika bocah Abhimanyu telah meletakkan senjata, tanpa kereta dan tanpa zirah, siapa di antara orang-orang saleh yang dapat memuji pembunuhannya dalam keadaan demikian?”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, dharma sets limits: killing an unarmed, unarmoured, chariotless youth is ethically blameworthy and cannot be celebrated by the righteous.
Sañjaya reports and morally evaluates Abhimanyu’s death, emphasizing that Abhimanyu had been rendered defenseless (without weapons, chariot, and armour), and therefore his killing is not worthy of praise.