Shloka 22
अध्याय ९ — दुर्योधनस्य अन्त्यावस्था, विलापः, तथा सौप्तिक-प्रतिवृत्तम्
Duryodhana’s Final Condition, Lamentation, and the Night’s Report
कथं त्वां सर्वधर्मज्ञ क्षुद्र: पापो वृकोदर: । निकृत्या हतवान् मन्दो नूनं कालो दुरत्यय:
kathaṁ tvāṁ sarvadharmajña kṣudraḥ pāpo vṛkodaraḥ | nikṛtyā hatavān mando nūnaṁ kālo duratyayaḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Engkau adalah yang mengetahui seluruh dharma; lalu bagaimana Vṛkodara (Bhīma) yang hina, berdosa, dan dungu itu membunuhmu dengan tipu daya? Sungguh, Kala (Waktu/Takdir) tak mungkin dilampaui.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts moral knowledge (sarvadharmajña) with the harsh outcomes of war, underscoring that Kāla (Time/fate) is ‘duratyaya’—not easily overcome—even by those who understand dharma; it also highlights the ethical tension around victory achieved through nikṛti (deceit/stratagem).
Sañjaya addresses the fallen Duryodhana, expressing astonishment and grief that Bhīma (Vṛkodara) killed him through a deceptive tactic, and concludes that such an end reflects the irresistible power of Time/fate.