Mahabharata — Karna Parva, Shloka 3
Adhyāya 8: Saṃprahāra-varṇana and Bhīma–Kṣemadhūrti Dvipa-Yuddha
Combat Description and Elephant Duel
वैशम्पायन उवाच श्रुत्वा कर्णस्य निधनमश्रद्धेयमिवाद्भधुतम् । भूतसम्मोहनं भीम॑ मेरो: संसर्पणं यथा
vaiśampāyana uvāca | śrutvā karṇasya nidhanam aśraddheyam ivādbhutam | bhūta-sammohanaṁ bhīmaṁ meroḥ saṁsarpaṇaṁ yathā ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Mendengar kematian Karṇa, hal itu tampak menakjubkan—hampir tidak dapat dipercayai. Peristiwa yang menggerunkan itu mengelirukan segala makhluk, seolah-olah Gunung Meru sendiri berganjak dari tempatnya yang ditetapkan lalu berpindah ke tempat lain.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even the mightiest fall; when a pillar of power collapses, it feels like the cosmic order itself has shifted. The verse highlights impermanence and the moral-psychological shock that follows great violence.
Vaiśampāyana describes the reaction to the news of Karṇa’s death: it is received as an almost impossible, world-upending event, likened to Mount Meru moving from its fixed place.