Shloka 31
कर्णनिधनश्रवणम् — Hearing of Karṇa’s Fall and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament
राजन्! जरासंधके महाबलवान् पुत्र मगधवासी जयत्सेनको महामना सुभद्राकुमारने युद्धमें मार डाला ।। पुत्रस्ते दुर्मुखो राजन दुःसहश्न महारथ: । गदया भीमसेनेन निहतौ शूरमानिनौ,नरेश्वर! आपके पुत्र दुर्मुख और महारथी दुः:सह--ये दोनों अपनेको शूरवीर माननेवाले योद्धा थे, जो भीमसेनकी गदासे मारे गये
sañjaya uvāca |
rājan! jarāsandhake mahābalavān putro magadhavāsī jayatsenako mahāmanā subhadrākumāreṇa yuddhe mārḍāla ||
putras te durmukho rājan duḥsahaś ca mahārathaḥ |
gadayā bhīmasenena nihatāv śūramāninau, nareśvara! ||
Sanjaya said: O King, the high-souled Jayatsena, a mighty son of Jarasandha and a resident of Magadha, was slain in battle by Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadra. And, O ruler of men, your sons Durmukha and the great chariot-warrior Duhsaha—both proud of their heroism—were struck down by Bhimasena with his mace. The report underscores the grim moral weight of war: valor and lineage offer no refuge when adharma-driven conflict ripens into inevitable loss.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical gravity of war: pride in strength and status cannot prevent the consequences of a conflict rooted in adharma. Even renowned warriors fall, reminding the listener (Dhṛtarāṣṭra) that attachment and ambition culminate in irreversible loss.
Sanjaya informs Dhṛtarāṣṭra of battlefield deaths: Jayatsena of Magadha, connected to Jarāsandha’s line, is slain by Abhimanyu; and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons Durmukha and Duhsaha are killed by Bhīma using his mace.