Shloka 48
द्वैपायनह्रदे दुर्योधनान्वेषणम् / The Search for Duryodhana at Dvaipāyana Lake
त्रयः किल रथा: शिष्टास्तावकानां नराधिप । इति प्रस्थानकाले मां कृष्णद्वेपायनोडब्रवीत्,मैंने भी जो कुछ आँखों देखा था, वह सब कुछ उसे इस प्रकार बताया--“नरेश्वर! तुम्हारे सारे भाई मार डाले गये और समस्त सेनाका भी संहार हो गया। रणभूमिसे प्रस्थान करते समय व्यासजीने मुझसे कहा था कि “तुम्हारे पक्षमें तीन ही महारथी बच गये हैं!
trayaḥ kila rathāḥ śiṣṭās tāvakānāṃ narādhipa | iti prasthānakāle māṃ kṛṣṇadvaipāyano 'bravīt ||
Sanjaya said: “O king, only three chariot-warriors of your side are said to remain. Thus, at the time of departing from the battlefield, Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa) spoke to me.” In this moment, the narrative underscores the moral weight of war’s outcome: the near-total destruction of kin and armies, and the stark reckoning that follows adharma-driven conflict.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical consequence of war: when conflict is pursued through pride and adharma, the result is catastrophic loss, leaving only a remnant. It invites reflection on responsibility, restraint, and the heavy cost borne by families and kingdoms.
Sanjaya reports to King Dhritarashtra that, according to Vyasa’s statement made as they were leaving the battlefield, only three chariot-warriors on the Kaurava side remain alive—signaling the near-complete annihilation of Dhritarashtra’s forces.