Shloka 21

अध्याय ९ — कर्णस्य प्रहारः, योधयुग्मनियोजनम्, शैनेय-कैकेययोर्युद्धविन्यासः

Devanagari script

पलायमान: कृपणो दीनात्मा दीनपौरुष:,कच्चिन्न निहत:ः शूरो यथान्ये क्षत्रियर्षभा: । सूत! क्या मेरा पुत्र दुःशासन दीनचित्त और पुरुषार्थशून्य होकर कायरके समान भागता हुआ मारा गया। तात! उसने युद्धस्थलमें कोई दीनतापूर्ण बर्ताव तो नहीं किया था। जैसे अन्य क्षत्रियशिरोमणि मारे गये हैं, क्या उसी प्रकार शूरवीर दुःशासन नहीं मारा गया?

Transliteration

palāyamānaḥ kṛpaṇo dīnātmā dīnapauruṣaḥ, kaccin na nihataḥ śūro yathānye kṣatriyarṣabhāḥ | sūta! kiṃ me putro duḥśāsano dīnacitto puruṣārthaśūnyaḥ kāyaravat palāyan hataḥ? tāta! sa yuddhasthale kiṃcid dīnatāpūrṇaṃ vyavahāraṃ na kṛtavān? yathānye kṣatriyaśiromaṇayaḥ hatāḥ, kiṃ tathā śūravīro duḥśāsano na nihataḥ? |

Translation

ଧୃତରାଷ୍ଟ୍ର କହିଲେ—ଦୀନ ହୋଇ, କୃପଣ ପରି, ଭଙ୍ଗ ମନ ଓ କ୍ଷୀଣ ପୌରୁଷ ସହ ପଳାଉଥିବାବେଳେ—ସେ ଶୂର ମଧ୍ୟ ଅନ୍ୟ କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠମାନଙ୍କ ପରି ନିହତ ହେଲା କି? ହେ ସୂତ, କୁହ—ମୋ ପୁତ୍ର ଦୁଃଶାସନ ଧୈର୍ୟହୀନ ଓ ପୌରୁଷଶୂନ୍ୟ ହୋଇ କାୟର ପରି ପଳାଉଥିବାବେଳେ ମରିଲା କି? ତାତ, ସେ ରଣଭୂମିରେ କୌଣସି ଦୀନ ଆଚରଣ କରିନଥିଲା ତ? ଯେପରି ଅନ୍ୟ କ୍ଷତ୍ରିୟ-ଶିରୋମଣିମାନେ ପତିତ ହେଲେ, ସେହିପରି ସେ ବୀର ଦୁଃଶାସନ ମଧ୍ୟ ପତିତ ହେଲା କି?

Word by Word

पलायमानःfleeing, running away

कृपणःwretched, pitiable

दीनात्माone whose spirit is dejected

दीनपौरुषःof feeble valor

कच्चित्whether, I wonder (interrogative particle)

नnot

निहतःslain

शूरःhero, brave man

यथाas, just as

अन्येothers

क्षत्रियर्षभाःbulls among kshatriyas (foremost warriors)

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Sūta (Sañjaya)

Duḥśāsana

kṣatriyas (warrior class)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal that death in battle is preferable to disgraceful flight, while also exposing how parental attachment and anxiety can distort judgment—Dhṛtarāṣṭra measures his son’s fate primarily through the lens of honor and reputation rather than moral accountability.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra, hearing reports of heavy losses, anxiously questions Sañjaya about Duḥśāsana. He fears his son may have been killed while fleeing in cowardice and asks whether Duḥśāsana maintained proper battlefield conduct, like other renowned kṣatriya champions who have fallen.