Shloka 53
युद्धात् कर्णमपक्रान्तं किंस्विद् दुर्योधनो<ब्रवीत् । परंतु रणक्षेत्रमें विषहीन सर्पके समान कर्णको पराजित और युद्धसे भागा हुआ देखकर दुर्योधनने क्या कहा था
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca |
yuddhāt karṇam apakrāntaṃ kiṃ svid duryodhano 'bravīt |
Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “When Karṇa had withdrawn from the battle, what indeed did Duryodhana say?” The question points to the moral and psychological crisis on the Kaurava side: seeing a foremost warrior retreat—likened in the narrative to a serpent deprived of its venom—Duryodhana’s response reveals the pressures of pride, loyalty, and the harsh demands of kṣatriya warfare.
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a key ethical tension in war: when a celebrated warrior retreats, leaders must respond without losing discernment. It highlights how pride and desperation can distort judgment, and how kṣatriya ideals of steadfastness and responsibility are tested under battlefield reversals.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra asks Sañjaya to report what Duryodhana said upon seeing Karṇa withdraw from the fight. The surrounding narration underscores the shock and demoralization this caused, setting up Duryodhana’s words as a window into the Kauravas’ deteriorating situation.