Shloka 7
Karna Reproves Shalya; Brahmin Reports on Bāhlīkas; Shalya’s Universalizing Rebuttal (कर्ण–शल्य संवादः)
संजय बोले--राजन्! कौरव-सैनिक बाणोंसे घायल, छिन्न-भिन्न अवयवोंसे युक्त और अपने वाहनोंसे भ्रष्ट हो गये थे। उनके कवच, आयुध और वाहन नष्ट हो गये थे। उनके स्वरोंमें दीनता थी। शत्रुओंसे पराजित होनेके कारण वे स्वाभिमानी कौरव मन-ही-मन बहुत दुःख पा रहे थे ।।
sañjaya uvāca—rājan! kaurava-sainikā bāṇair ghālitāḥ chinna-bhinna-avayavāḥ sva-vāhanebhyaś ca bhraṣṭā abhavan. teṣāṃ kavacāni āyudhāni vāhanāni ca naṣṭāni. teṣāṃ svareṣu dīnatā āsīt. śatrubhiḥ parājitāḥ santaḥ te svābhimāninaḥ kauravā manasā bahu duḥkham anvabhavan. śibirāsthāḥ punaḥ mantram mantrayanti sma kauravāḥ. bhagna-daṃṣṭrā hata-viṣāḥ pādākrāntā iva uragāḥ.
Disse Sañjaya: Ó rei, os soldados kauravas estavam feridos por flechas, com os membros dilacerados, e haviam sido separados de suas montarias. Suas armaduras, armas e carros foram destruídos; em suas vozes havia o tom do abatimento. Derrotados pelos inimigos, aqueles kauravas orgulhosos sofriam, por dentro, uma dor intensa. Ao retornarem ao acampamento, voltaram a deliberar em segredo—como serpentes de presas quebradas e veneno drenado, agora esmagadas sob os pés.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how pride collapses under the consequences of one’s actions: defeat strips away external supports (armor, weapons, mounts) and exposes inner suffering. It also suggests an ethical warning—when power is lost, harmful intent may remain, but capacity is diminished, like serpents made harmless by broken fangs and drained venom.
After being beaten back in battle, the Kaurava troops return to their camp wounded and demoralized. There they resume secret deliberations, portrayed through a vivid simile: they are like trampled serpents whose fangs and venom have been neutralized—still agitated, but weakened and constrained.