Shloka 21
Abhimanyunidhana-prakāśaḥ — Vasudeva–Kṛṣṇa–Subhadrā–Kuntī śoka-saṃvāda
Disclosure and Consolation
ततः पार्थ समासाद्य पतड़ इव पावकम् | पजञ्चत्वमगमत् सौतिर्द्धितीयेडहनि दारुण:
tataḥ pārtha samāsādya pataṅga iva pāvakam | pañcatvam agamat sautir dvitīye 'hani dāruṇaḥ ||
त्यानंतर, हे पार्थ, क्रूर स्वभावाचा सूतपुत्र कर्ण तुझ्याशी भिडला आणि दुसऱ्या दिवशीच पतंग जसा ज्वलंत अग्नीत झेपावून नष्ट होतो, तसा रणात मारला गेला.
वासुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses the moth-and-flame simile to teach that rash, cruel, and dharma-blind aggression leads swiftly to self-destruction; true heroism is not mere ferocity but action aligned with right conduct and discernment.
Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva) tells Arjuna (Pārtha) that a fierce warrior called “Sauti” approached and engaged Arjuna, and on the second day of fighting he was killed—likened to a moth flying into fire.