Shloka 9
Gaṅgā-tīra Udaka-kriyā and Kuntī’s Disclosure of Karṇa’s Maternity
Strī-parva, Adhyāya 27
यो व्यराजच्च भूमध्ये दिवाकर इव प्रभु: । प्रत्ययुध्यत व: सर्वान् पुरा य:ः सपदानुगान्
yo vyarājac ca bhūmadhye divākara iva prabhuḥ | pratyayudhyata vaḥ sarvān purā yaḥ sapadānugān ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “He—the mighty lord—who once shone in the midst of the earth like the sun, and who formerly fought against all of you, even when you were supported by your followers and attendants.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how worldly brilliance and martial supremacy—likened to the sun—can still pass into loss and grief; it invites reflection on the impermanence of power and the heavy moral cost of war.
Vaiśampāyana recalls a formidable hero who once dominated the world and even fought all the opposing warriors despite their support; the line functions as a remembrance of past prowess amid the sorrowful aftermath described in the Strī Parva.