Shloka 50

कर्णार्जुनसमागमः — The Karṇa–Arjuna Confrontation

Cosmic Spectatorship and Vows

Devanagari script

हाहाकारो महानासीत्‌ पज्चालानां विशाम्पते । पीडितानां बलवता भार्गवास्त्रेण संयुगे

Transliteration

hāhākāro mahān āsīt pāñcālānāṃ viśāmpate | pīḍitānāṃ balavatā bhārgavāstreṇa saṃyuge ||

Translation

សញ្ជ័យបាននិយាយថា៖ «ឱ ព្រះអម្ចាស់នៃមនុស្សទាំងឡាយ ស្រែកហៅដោយទុក្ខវេទនាដ៏ធំបានកើតឡើងក្នុងចំណោមបញ្ចាលា ព្រោះពួកគេត្រូវបានបង្ក្រាបយ៉ាងខ្លាំងក្នុងសមរភូមិ ដោយអាវុធភារគវដ៏មានអំណាច»។

Word by Word

हाहाकारःa cry of lamentation; uproar

महान्great

आसीत्was

पाञ्चालानाम्of the Panchalas

विशाम्of the people; of the subjects

पतेO lord

पीडितानाम्of the afflicted; of those who were tormented

बलवताby the powerful (one/thing)

भार्गवास्त्रेणby the Bhargava weapon (Parashurama's missile)

संयुगेin the battle

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Pāñcālas

Bhārgavāstra

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 foregrounds the human cost of astric warfare: extraordinary weapons magnify destruction, and the narrative repeatedly reminds the listener that martial prowess, when unchecked, culminates in collective suffering—an ethical counterpoint to mere celebration of victory.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to the king that, amid the fighting, the Pāñcāla forces are being heavily struck by a powerful Bhārgava weapon, causing widespread cries of anguish across their ranks.