Shloka 52
कर्णपुत्रवधध॑ दृष्टवा नकुलस्य च विक्रमम् । प्रदुद्राव भयात् सेना तावकी भरतर्षभ,भरतश्रेष्ठ! कर्णपुत्रोंका वध और नकुलका पराक्रम देखकर आपकी सेना भयसे भाग चली
sañjaya uvāca | karṇaputra-vadhaṁ dṛṣṭvā nakulasya ca vikramam | pradudrāva bhayāt senā tāvakī bharatarṣabha bharataśreṣṭha ||
Sanjaya berkata: Melihat putera Karṇa terbunuh dan menyaksikan keperkasaan Nakula, bala tentera tuanku dikuasai ketakutan lalu kucar-kacir dan melarikan diri, wahai yang terunggul dalam keturunan Bharata.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the fragility of power rooted in fear and wrongdoing: when confronted by clear evidence of defeat (the death of a key warrior) and authentic heroism (Nakula’s vikrama), collective morale collapses. It implicitly points to the ethical truth that adharma cannot sustain courage for long.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that, after Karṇa’s son is slain and Nakula displays formidable prowess, the Kaurava forces panic and flee the battlefield, indicating a turning point in momentum and morale.