Shloka 263
कर्णस्य सेनापत्याभिषेकः | Karṇa’s Consecration as Commander-in-Chief
लक्ष्मणेन हतो राजंस्तव पौत्रेण भारत । भरतवंशी नरेश! आपके पौजत्र लक्ष्मणने युद्धमें योद्धाओंके स्वामी क्षत्रदेवको, जो शिखण्डीका पुत्र था, मार डाला
lakṣmaṇena hato rājan tava pautreṇa bhārata |
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai Raja, wahai keturunan Bharata, cucu tuanku Lakṣmaṇa telah membunuh dalam pertempuran panglima pahlawan Kṣatradeva, putera Śikhaṇḍī.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of kṣatriya warfare: victory and lineage-glory come intertwined with killing, and even heirs are drawn into acts that deepen the tragedy of the conflict.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Lakṣmaṇa, Duryodhana’s son and thus the king’s grandson, has killed the warrior Kṣatradeva in the ongoing battle.