Shloka 20
कर्णस्य सेनापत्याभिषेकः | Karṇa’s Consecration as Commander-in-Chief
दुर्मुखेन महाराज तव पुत्रेण पातित: । महाराज! प्रतापी पर्वतीय राजा जनमेजय गदायुद्धमें कुशल थे। उन्हें आपके पुत्र दुर्मुखने धराशायी कर दिया ।। रोचमानौ नरव्याप्रौ रोचमानौ ग्रहाविव
durmukhena mahārāja tava putreṇa pātitaḥ | rocamānau naravyāghrau rocamānau grahāv iva ||
Sañjaya disse: Ó grande rei, aquele guerreiro foi derrubado por teu filho Durmukha. Aqueles dois homens, como tigres e radiantes em sua proeza, haviam brilhado como dois planetas—mas, na dura economia moral da guerra, até os ilustres caem quando são sobrepujados no aperto da batalha.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the battlefield truth that worldly radiance—strength, fame, and heroic stature—does not guarantee survival. In war, outcomes hinge on immediate prowess and circumstance, reminding the listener that glory is fragile and that violent action inevitably carries grave consequences.
Sañjaya reports to King Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Durmukha, one of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons, has felled an opponent. The fallen and the victor are described with exalted imagery—‘tigers among men’ shining like celestial bodies—highlighting the intensity and grandeur of the combat.