Shloka 18
वासवी-शक्तेः प्रयोगः, घटोत्कच-वधोत्तर-शोकः, व्यासोपदेशश्च
The Vāsavī Spear’s Use, Post-Ghaṭotkaca Grief, and Vyāsa’s Counsel
मृदड़केतोस्तस्य त्वं तेजसा निहत: पुरा । सकर्णसौबल: संख्ये विनाशमुपयास्यसि,“जिन महाराज युधिष्ठिरमें दान, दम, शौच, अहिंसा, लज्जा, धृति और क्षमा आदि सारे सदगुण अविनश्वरभावसे सदा विद्यमान रहते हैं, अपनी ध्वजामें मृदंगका चिह्न धारण करनेवाले उन्हीं धर्मराजके तेजसे तुम पहले ही मर चुके हो। अत: कर्ण और शकुनिके साथ ही इस युद्धस्थलमें तुम विनाशको प्राप्त होओगे
mṛḍaṅketos tasya tvaṁ tejasā nihataḥ purā | sa-karṇa-saubalaḥ saṅkhye vināśam upayāsyasi ||
मृदङ्केतोस्तस्य त्वं तेजसा निहतः पुरा । सकर्णसौबलः संख्ये विनाशमुपयास्यसि ॥
सयजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts that moral-spiritual radiance (tejas) grounded in dharma can be decisive: those aligned with adharma are portrayed as already defeated in principle, and their eventual ruin in war is framed as the consequence of opposing righteousness.
Sañjaya foretells to the addressed warrior that he is effectively already slain by Yudhiṣṭhira’s dharmic power, and predicts that he will perish in battle along with Karṇa and Śakuni.