Shloka 793
अध्याय ९ — कर्णस्य प्रहारः, योधयुग्मनियोजनम्, शैनेय-कैकेययोर्युद्धविन्यासः
शकुनि: सीबलस्तात हते कर्णे किमब्रवीत् । तात! पहले द्यूतक्रीड़ाका आयोजन करके पाण्डवोंको ठग लेनेके बाद जिसे बड़ा हर्ष हुआ था, वह सुबल-पुत्र शकुनि कर्णके मारे जानेपर क्या बोला?
Vaiśampāyana uvāca — Śakuniḥ Saubalastāta hate Karṇe kim abravīt | Tāṭa! pūrvaṁ dyūtakrīḍākā āyojanaṁ kṛtvā Pāṇḍavān ṭhagitvā yaḥ mahān harṣaṁ lebhe, sa Saubala-putraḥ Śakuniḥ Karṇasya māraṇe kim avadat?
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai anakku, apabila Karṇa telah terbunuh, apakah yang dikatakan Śakuni, putera Subala? Dia yang dahulu bersorak gembira setelah mengatur permainan dadu dan menipu untuk merampas hak kaum Pāṇḍava—apakah kata-kata yang diucapkan Śakuni itu ketika Karṇa gugur?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical contrast: the same agent who once rejoiced after orchestrating deceit (the dice-game) is now questioned about his response to a major wartime death. It highlights how adharma-driven actions and attitudes persist across contexts, and invites reflection on the moral consequences of manipulation and cruelty.
The narrator Vaiśampāyana poses a question about Śakuni’s words after Karṇa’s death. It serves as a transition, preparing the listener for Śakuni’s reaction and commentary in the aftermath of Karṇa being slain in the Kurukṣetra war.