Shloka 48
कर्णनिधनश्रवणम् — Hearing of Karṇa’s Fall and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament
मावेल्लकास्तुण्डिकेरा: सावित्रीपुत्रकाश्च ये । प्राच्योदीच्या: प्रतीच्याश्न दाक्षिणात्याशक्ष मारिष
mā vellakāstuṇḍikerāḥ sāvitrīputrakāś ca ye | prācyodīcyāḥ pratīcyāś ca dākṣiṇātyāś ca māriṣa ||
Sañjaya said: “Not only the Vellakas and the Tuṇḍikeras, and those who are called the sons of Sāvitrī, but also the peoples of the East, the North, the West, and the South—indeed, all quarters—(are involved/are present), O revered one.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the vast, pan-regional scale of the conflict: people from every direction are drawn into the war. Ethically, it highlights how collective choices and alliances can expand a dispute into a widespread calamity, implicating many communities beyond the original quarrel.
Sañjaya is reporting to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, listing various peoples and regions to convey that forces are not limited to a few groups; contingents from the East, North, West, and South are also present/engaged, emphasizing the breadth of participation in the Kurukṣetra war.