Shloka 29
Jayadrathasya śoka-bhaya-vilāpaḥ — Droṇena āśvāsanaṃ ca
Jayadratha’s lament and Droṇa’s reassurance
स कर्म दुष्करं कृत्वा संग्रामे शत्रुतापन: । शन्रुभिर्निहतः संख्ये पृतनायां युधिछ्ठिर,युधिष्ठिर! वह शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाला वीर राजकुमार संग्राममें दुष्कर पराक्रम दिखाकर अन्तमें शत्रुओंके हाथसे वहाँ सेनाके बीचमें मारा गया
sa karma duṣkaraṁ kṛtvā saṅgrāme śatrutāpanaḥ | śatrubhir nihataḥ saṅkhye pṛtanāyāṁ yudhiṣṭhira ||
Having performed a deed difficult to accomplish on the battlefield, that hero—one who scorched his foes—was at last slain there in the press of combat by enemies, amid the army, O Yudhiṣṭhira. The verse underscores the tragic moral texture of war: even valor and extraordinary effort do not guarantee survival, and the righteous are compelled to witness the fall of the brave within the inexorable machinery of battle.
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tragedy of war: extraordinary valor and difficult achievements (duṣkara-karma) can still end in death, reminding the listener that battlefield success is unstable and that even the brave are subject to the harsh, impersonal outcomes of conflict.
Vyāsa addresses Yudhiṣṭhira, describing a warrior who displayed formidable prowess in battle and tormented his foes, but was ultimately killed by enemies amid the assembled army in the thick of combat.