Mahabharata 7.3.3 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 3, Shloka 3
भीष्मपातने कर्णविलापः | Karṇa’s Lament upon Seeing Bhīṣma Fallen
जयाशा तव पुत्राणां सम्भग्ना शर्म वर्म च । अपाराणामिव द्वीपमगाधे गाधमिच्छताम्
sañjaya uvāca | jayāśā tava putrāṇāṃ sambhagnā śarma varma ca | apārāṇām iva dvīpam agādhe gādham icchatām ||
សញ្ជ័យបាននិយាយ៖ ក្តីសង្ឃឹមឈ្នះរបស់កូនៗព្រះអង្គបានបែកបាក់—ជាមួយនឹងសេចក្តីសុខចិត្ត និងអាវការពាររបស់ពួកគេផង។ សម្រាប់អ្នកដែលមិនអាចរកផ្លូវឆ្លង និងស្វែងរកទីឈរនៅក្នុងជម្រៅអស្ចារ្យ ភីष្មៈធ្លាប់ដូចកោះជ្រកកោន; ប៉ុន្តែព្រះអង្គត្រូវបារថៈ (អរជុន) បំបាក់ឲ្យដួល។
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how reliance on a single pillar of strength—especially an elder embodying legitimacy and protection—can mask deeper ethical and strategic fragility. When that support falls, not only military prospects but also inner security (śarma) collapses, revealing the moral and psychological consequences of pursuing an unrighteous course.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that after Bhīṣma has been brought down by Arjuna, the Kauravas’ hope of victory is broken. Bhīṣma had functioned like an ‘island’ for those lost in an unfathomable sea—an image for the Kauravas’ dependence on him—so his fall causes their confidence and sense of protection to disintegrate.
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