Shloka 26
गदायुद्ध-समारम्भः
Commencement of the Mace-Duel Proceedings
हतो वैकर्तन: कर्ण: पुत्राश्नास्य महारथा: । भूरिश्रवा रौहिणेय मद्रराजश्न वीर्यवान्
hato vaikartanaḥ karṇaḥ putrāś cāsya mahārathāḥ | bhūriśravā rauhiṇeyo madrarājaś ca vīryavān ||
Nārada said: “Karna, the son of the charioteer (Vaikartana), has been slain, and his sons—mighty chariot-warriors as well. Bhūriśravas too has fallen, and Rauhiṇeya (Sātyaki), and the valiant king of Madra.” The verse underscores the relentless moral cost of war: even renowned heroes and royal lineages are cut down, reminding the listener that prowess and status do not shield one from the consequences of adharma-driven conflict and the inexorable tide of destruction.
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the sweeping devastation of war: celebrated warriors and royal houses fall alike. It implicitly warns that martial glory is transient and that large-scale conflict, especially when driven by adharma and vengeance, culminates in irreversible loss.
Nārada reports key deaths among major combatants: Karṇa and his sons, Bhūriśravas, Rauhiṇeya (Sātyaki), and the Madra king (Śalya). It functions as a grim tally of fallen heroes in the late stages of the Kurukṣetra war.