Shloka 24
एकाकी बहुभिस्तत्र परिवार्य महारथै: । अधर्मेण नरव्याप्रो भीमसेनेन पातित:,नरश्रेष्ठ राजा दुर्योधन अकेला था और बहुत-से महारथियोंने उसे वहाँ घेर रखा था, उस दशामें भीमसेनने उसको धराशायी किया है
ekākī bahubhis tatra parivārya mahārathaiḥ | adharmeṇa naravyāghro bhīmasenena pātitaḥ ||
Kṛpa said: “There, the tiger among men—King Duryodhana—stood alone, yet he was surrounded by many great chariot-warriors. Even so, Bhīmasena struck him down by unrighteous means.”
कृप उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the Mahābhārata’s ethical scrutiny of warfare: victory is not judged only by outcome but by conformity to dharma; even a hated enemy’s fall can be condemned if achieved through adharma.
Kṛpa recalls Duryodhana’s defeat: though Duryodhana was alone and surrounded by many great fighters, Bhīma is said to have brought him down using an unrighteous method, framing the event as ethically problematic.