Shloka 12

Devanagari script

अभिमन्योश्व बालस्य विनाशं रणमूर्थनि । कर्णस्य च महाबाहो संग्रामेष्वपलायिन:,महाबाहु जनमेजय! युद्धके मुहानेपर जो बालक अभिमन्युका अन्यायपूर्वक विनाश किया गया, संग्राममें कभी पीठ न दिखानेवाले कर्णका (परिचय न होनेसे) जो वध किया गया--इन घटनाओंको याद करके वे बेचैन हो जाते थे

Transliteration

abhimanyor va bālasya vināśaṃ raṇamūrdhani | karṇasya ca mahābāho saṃgrāmeṣv apalāyinaḥ ||

Translation

ヴァイシャンパーヤナは言った。「大臂のジャナメージャヤよ。戦の最前線で、なお幼きアビマンニュが不義のうちに滅ぼされたこと、また戦に背を向けたことのない大臂のカルナが（不利な状況にあり、しかも正しく見定められぬまま）討たれたこと――それらを思い起こすたび、彼らの内は騒ぎ、安らぎを得られず、その出来事の道義の重みに責め苛まれた。」

Word by Word

अभिमन्योःof Abhimanyu

चand

बालस्यof the boy/young one

विनाशम्destruction, death

रणमूर्धनिon the battlefield (lit. on the head/top of battle)

कर्णस्यof Karna

चand

महाबाहोO mighty-armed one

संग्रामेषुin battles

अपलायिनःof one who does not flee

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Janamejaya

Abhimanyu

Karṇa

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how violations of dharma in warfare—especially the killing of a young warrior by unfair means and the slaying of a steadfast fighter in a compromised moment—leave lasting moral anguish. Even after victory, the conscience remains troubled when ethical boundaries are crossed.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśaṃpāyana recounts that the survivors (in the Ashramavāsika context) repeatedly recall two painful war episodes: Abhimanyu’s destruction at the battle-front and Karṇa’s death despite his reputation for never retreating. These memories make them restless and distressed.