Shloka 2
घटोत्कचे तु निहते सूतपुत्रेण तां निशाम् । दुःखामर्षवशं प्राप्तो धर्मराजो युधिछिर:,सूतपुत्रके द्वारा घटोत्कचके मारे जानेपर उस रातमें धर्मराज युधिष्ठिर दुःख और अमर्षके वशीभूत हो गये
ghaṭotkace tu nihate sūtaputreṇa tāṃ niśām | duḥkhāmarṣavaśaṃ prāpto dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||
Sañjaya said: When Ghaṭotkaca had been slain by the charioteer’s son, Karṇa, that night King Yudhiṣṭhira—steadfast in dharma—was overcome by grief and burning indignation. The event deepened the moral weight of the war: a mighty ally has fallen, and the righteous king’s composure is shaken by sorrow and wounded honor.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a dharma-minded ruler can be swept up by grief and indignation when confronted with catastrophic loss. The verse highlights the ethical strain of war: righteousness is tested not only by actions on the battlefield but also by the ability to govern one’s inner responses to tragedy.
Sañjaya reports that after Karṇa slew Ghaṭotkaca, Yudhiṣṭhira spent that night overwhelmed by sorrow and amarṣa (indignant anger). It marks the emotional aftermath of a major death and foreshadows intensified resolve and tension among the Pāṇḍavas.