Shloka 21
अध्याय १५९ — रात्रौ श्रमविरामः
Night Exhaustion and Brief Pause in Battle
ततो वृकरथो नाम भ्राता कर्णस्य विश्रुत:
tato vṛkaratho nāma bhrātā karṇasya viśrutaḥ
Then there appeared Vṛkaratha by name, the renowned brother of Karṇa—introduced by Sañjaya as a notable figure entering the unfolding battle narrative, where kinship and fame become markers of identity amid the moral strain of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in epic warfare, individuals are often introduced and remembered through relationships (bhrātā) and reputation (viśrutaḥ). It subtly points to the ethical tension that fame and family identity persist even when the battlefield reduces people to opponents.
Sañjaya, narrating events to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, introduces a warrior named Vṛkaratha, identifying him as Karṇa’s renowned brother, signaling his entry or relevance in the ongoing combat sequence.