Shloka 13

कर्णनिधनश्रवणम् — Hearing of Karṇa’s Fall and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament

Devanagari script

तथा दुर्योधनसुतस्तरस्वी युद्धदुर्मदः । वर्तमान: पितु: शास्त्रे सौभद्रेण निपातित:,दुर्योधनके रणदुर्मद वेगशाली पुत्र लक्ष्मणको, जो सदा पिताकी आज्ञाके अधीन रहता था, सुभद्राकुमारने मार गिराया

Transliteration

tathā duryodhanasutas tarasvī yuddha-durmadaḥ | vartamānaḥ pituḥ śāstre saubhadreṇa nipātitaḥ ||

Translation

അതുപോലെ, യുദ്ധമദത്തിൽ ഉന്മത്തനും വേഗശാലിയുമായ ദുര്യോധനപുത്രൻ—എപ്പോഴും പിതാവിന്റെ ആജ്ഞയിൽ പ്രവർത്തിച്ചവൻ—സൗഭദ്രൻ (അഭിമന്യു) കൈയ്യാൽ വീഴ്ത്തപ്പെട്ടു.

Word by Word

तथाthus, likewise

दुर्योधन-सुतःDuryodhana's son (Lakṣmaṇa)

तरस्वीswift, impetuous, vigorous

युद्ध-दुर्मदःmaddened by battle, battle-intoxicated

वर्तमानःabiding, being engaged (in)

पितुःof (his) father

शास्त्रेin the instruction/command (discipline)

सौभद्रेणby the son of Subhadrā (Abhimanyu)

निपातितःwas struck down, felled

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Duryodhana

Lakṣmaṇa (son of Duryodhana)

Saubhadra (Abhimanyu, son of Subhadrā)

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension between obedience and righteousness: mere loyalty to a father’s command and confidence in martial prowess do not protect one who fights for an adharma-aligned cause; pride and misplaced allegiance lead to downfall.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Lakṣmaṇa, Duryodhana’s son—known for his speed and battle-fury—while following his father’s orders, is felled in combat by Saubhadra, i.e., Abhimanyu.