Shloka 15
अमोघशक्तिव्यंसनप्रश्नः — Why Karṇa’s Śakti Was Not Used on Arjuna
तदनन्तर द्रोणाचार्यने केकयों और धृष्टद्युम्नके समस्त पुत्रोंको अपने शीघ्रगामी बाणोंद्वारा यमलोक भेज दिया ।। तस्य प्रमुखतो राजन् येडवर्तन्त महारथा: । तान् सर्वान् प्रेषयामास पितृलोक॑ स भारत
tadanantaraṃ droṇācāryeṇa kekayān dhṛṣṭadyumnasya ca samastaputrān svaiḥ śīghragāmibhiḥ bāṇaiḥ yamalokaṃ preṣitāḥ || tasya pramukhato rājan ye ’vartanta mahārathāḥ | tān sarvān preṣayāmāsa pitṛlokaṃ sa bhārata ||
ಸಂಜಯನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಅನಂತರ ದ್ರೋಣಾಚಾರ್ಯನು ತನ್ನ ಶೀಘ್ರಗಾಮಿ ಬಾಣಗಳಿಂದ ಕೇಕಯರನ್ನೂ ಧೃಷ್ಟದ್ಯುಮ್ನನ ಸಮಸ್ತ ಪುತ್ರರನ್ನೂ ಯಮಲೋಕಕ್ಕೆ ಕಳುಹಿಸಿದನು. ಓ ರಾಜನೇ, ಅವನ ಮುಂಭಾಗದಲ್ಲೇ ಮುನ್ನಡೆದು ಬಂದ ಮಹಾರಥರೆಲ್ಲರನ್ನೂ, ಓ ಭಾರತ, ಅವನು ಪಿತೃಲೋಕಕ್ಕೆ ಪ್ರೇಷಿಸಿದನು॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the inexorable consequence of war: even renowned heroes fall, and death is framed as a passage to cosmic realms (Yama’s and the Pitṛs’). It implicitly warns that martial excellence, when bound to the logic of battle, leads to irreversible loss—inviting reflection on dharma, responsibility, and the cost of violence.
Sañjaya reports that Droṇa, fighting fiercely, shoots down the Kekaya warriors and all the sons of Dhṛṣṭadyumna with swift arrows. Those who confront him at the front—great chariot-warriors—are slain and described as being sent to Yamaloka/Pitṛloka.