Shloka 5
भीष्मपातने कर्णविलापः | Karṇa’s Lament upon Seeing Bhīṣma Fallen
नभश्च्युतमिवादित्यं पतितं धरणीतले । शतक्रतुमिवाचिन्त्यं पुरा वृत्रेण निर्जितम्,वे आकाशसे च्युत होकर पृथ्वीपर पड़े हुए सूर्यके समान तथा पूर्वकालमें वृत्रासुरसे पराजित हुए अचिन्त्य देवराज इन्द्रके सदृश प्रतीत होते थे
nabhaś cyutam ivādityaṃ patitaṃ dharaṇītale | śatakratum ivācintyaṃ purā vṛtreṇa nirjitam ||
Sañjaya said: He appeared like the sun fallen from the sky onto the earth, and like the inconceivable lord of the gods, Indra of a hundred sacrifices, once overcome in ancient times by Vṛtra—an image of a mighty power brought low, evoking the moral shock of seeing greatness humbled amid the ruin of war.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the ethical and emotional gravity of war: when a great warrior is brought down, it feels like a cosmic disorder—comparable to the sun falling or Indra being humbled. It highlights impermanence of power and the tragic cost that adharma-driven conflict can impose even upon the eminent.
Sañjaya describes a prominent figure lying fallen on the battlefield, using two grand comparisons: the sun fallen to earth and Indra once defeated by Vṛtra. The intent is to convey the stunned awe and sorrow at the sight of a mighty one struck down.