Shloka 9
कर्णनिधनश्रवणम् — Hearing of Karṇa’s Fall and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament
घोररूपान् परिक्लेशान् दुर्योधनकृतान् बहून् । प्रतिज्ञां स्मरता चैव भीमसेनेन पातित:,इसी प्रकार आपका शूरवीर पुत्र विकर्ण क्षत्रियोचित व्रतका स्मरण करके वाहनों और आयुधोंके नष्ट हो जानेपर भी शत्रुओंके सामने डटा हुआ था, परंतु दुर्योधनके दिये हुए बहुत-से भयंकर क्लेशों और अपनी प्रतिज्ञाको याद करके भीमसेनने उसे मार गिराया
ghorarūpān parikleśān duryodhanakṛtān bahūn | pratijñāṁ smaratā caiva bhīmasenena pātitaḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Remembering his vow, Bhīmasena struck him down—despite the many dreadful hardships inflicted by Duryodhana. The verse underscores how, in the brutal logic of war, personal vows and the burdens imposed by one’s own side can become decisive forces leading to a warrior’s fall.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of pratijñā (a vow): remembrance of one’s pledge can drive decisive action in war, while the misrule or harsh demands of a leader (here, Duryodhana) can create crushing hardships that contribute to downfall.
Sañjaya reports that Bhīmasena, recalling his vow, strikes down an opponent amid severe hardships attributed to Duryodhana’s actions—showing how battlefield outcomes are shaped by both personal resolve and the pressures imposed by one’s own side.