Shloka 3
Sauptika Parva, Adhyaya 8 — Dhṛṣṭadyumna-vadha and the Camp’s Nocturnal Rout
दुर्योधनस्यथ पदवीं गतौ परमिकां रणे
duryodhanasyaiva padavīṁ gatāv paramikāṁ raṇe, tau dvau vīrau pāñcālābhyāṁ hatvā bhūmau sadā-kṛte suptau na vā? raṇabhūmau mṛtvā duryodhanasyaiva uttama-mārgeṇa gatau na vā? kim ubhābhyām api tatra kiñcid parākramaḥ kṛtaḥ? sañjaya, etat sarvaṁ me vada.
あの二人の勇士は、パンチャーラを討ち倒したのち、戦いのうちにドゥルヨーダナが赴いた至高の道に到ったのか。それとも大地に倒れ、永遠の眠りに就いたのか。戦場に死して、まことにドゥルヨーダナ自身の高貴なる道を追ったのか。さらに二人はそこで、なお何ほどの武勲を示したのか。サンジャヤよ――そのすべてを我に告げよ。
घतयाट्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames battlefield death in terms of a 'path' or posthumous course, reflecting the epic’s concern with honor and the moral weight of killing. It probes whether violent deeds and a warrior’s end are being interpreted as leading to a 'noble' destiny, highlighting the tension between martial ideals and ethical accountability.
The speaker questions Sañjaya about two warriors who killed Pañcālas: whether they died on the battlefield and thus followed Duryodhana’s own 'supreme' course after death, and whether they performed any further feats. It is an inquiry into the immediate aftermath of combat and the status of key fighters.