Shloka 26
कर्णनिधनश्रवणम् — Hearing of Karṇa’s Fall and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament
शल्यपुत्रस्तु विक्रान्त: सहदेवेन मारिष । हतो रुक्मरथो राजन् भ्राता मातुलजो युधि,माननीय नरेश! शल्यका पराक्रमी पुत्र रुक्मरथ, जो सहदेवका ममेरा भाई था, युद्धमें सहदेवके ही हाथसे मारा गया
śalyaputrastu vikrāntaḥ sahadevena māriṣa | hato rukmaratho rājan bhrātā mātulajo yudhi ||
Sañjaya said: O venerable one, Śalya’s valiant son Rukmaratha—who was Sahadeva’s maternal cousin—was slain in battle by Sahadeva himself. The report underscores how the war’s duty-bound violence cuts through even bonds of kinship, as warriors meet one another as opponents on the field.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the harsh ethical reality of dharma in war: even close kin may be compelled to fight and kill when aligned on opposing sides, showing how duty and allegiance can override familial bonds in a righteous-but-tragic conflict.
Sañjaya reports to the king that Rukmaratha, the brave son of Śalya and Sahadeva’s maternal cousin, has been slain on the battlefield by Sahadeva.