Shloka 14
कर्णपरर्वणि त्रयोचत्वारिंशदध्यायः (Karṇa-parva Adhyāya 43) — Kṛṣṇa’s Battlefield Assessment and the Reversal Around Bhīma
आहुरन्योन्यसूक्तानि प्रब्रुवाणा मदोत्कटा: । हे हते हे हतेत्येवं स्वामिभर्तृहतेति च
āhur anyonya-sūktāni prabruvāṇā madotkaṭāḥ | he hate he hate ity evaṁ svāmi-bhartṛ-hate iti ca
Karna berkata: “Mabuk oleh kegilaan perang, mereka saling melontar kata nista. Berkali-kali mereka menjerit, ‘Dia telah terbunuh! Dia telah terbunuh!’ dan juga, ‘Tuanmu—majikanmu—telah terbunuh!’ Dengan demikian mereka berusaha mematahkan semangat satu sama lain dengan menghebahkan gugurnya para pemimpin.”
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how speech becomes a weapon in war: proclaiming the death of a leader is used to shake morale and loyalty. It implicitly warns that words can inflame violence and manipulate duty-bound fighters by targeting their attachment to commanders.
In the thick of battle, warriors on opposing sides exchange loud, aggressive shouts. They repeatedly cry that someone has been slain and specifically taunt the enemy by declaring that their lord/leader has been killed, aiming to confuse and demoralize them.