Shloka 28
कर्णनिधनश्रवणम् — Hearing of Karṇa’s Fall and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament
भगदत्तसुतो राजन् कृतप्रज्ञो महाबल: । श्येनवच्चरता संख्ये नकुलेन निपातित:
bhagadattasuto rājan kṛtaprajño mahābalaḥ | śyenavaccaratā saṅkhye nakulena nipātitaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: O King, the son of Bhagadatta—steady-minded and of great strength—who moved through the battle like a hawk, was struck down by Nakula. The report underscores how even formidable warriors, despite skill and composure, fall under the inexorable law of war and fate, reminding the listener of the grave cost of adharma-driven conflict.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the impermanence of martial power: even a strong, disciplined warrior can be brought down. Ethically, it points to the tragic inevitability and human cost of war, urging reflection on the choices that lead to such destruction and on the limits of strength before fate and time.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Bhagadatta’s son, a powerful fighter who moved swiftly like a hawk on the battlefield, has been felled by the Pāṇḍava prince Nakula.