Shloka 35
कर्णनिधनश्रवणम् — Hearing of Karṇa’s Fall and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament
तथैव पौरवो राजा नागायुतबलो महान् । समरे पाण्डुपुत्रेण निहत: सव्यसाचिना,इसी प्रकार दस हजार हाथियोंके समान बलशाली महान् राजा पौरवको समरांगणमें पाण्डुकुमार सव्यसाची अर्जुनने मार डाला
tathaiva pauravo rājā nāgāyutabalō mahān | samare pāṇḍuputreṇa nihataḥ savyasācinā ||
Sañjaya said: In the same manner, the great king Paurava—mighty with the strength of ten thousand elephants—was slain on the battlefield by the Pāṇḍu prince, Arjuna, famed as Savyasācin. The line underscores the relentless moral weight of war: even renowned and powerful rulers fall when the conflict of dharma turns into decisive combat.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the sobering ethic of the Kurukṣetra war: worldly power and royal stature do not shield one from the consequences of righteous conflict and the inevitability of death. It also reflects the epic’s emphasis on kṣatriya-duty, where decisive action in battle carries grave moral weight.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Arjuna (Savyasācin), a son of Pāṇḍu, slew the great king Paurava in battle—describing Paurava’s immense strength metaphorically as equal to ten thousand elephants.