गान्धाराणां सहस्नेण शकुनि: परिवारित: । हतमाधिरथिं दृष्टवा शिबिरायैव दुद्रुवे
gāndhārāṇāṃ sahasreṇa śakuniḥ parivāritaḥ | hatam ādhirathiṃ dṛṣṭvā śibirāyaiva dudruve ||
गान्धाराणां सहस्रेण शकुनिः परिवारितः । हतमाधिरथिं दृष्ट्वा शिबिरायैव दुद्रुवे ॥
संजय उवाच
The fall of a central champion exposes the moral and strategic weakness of those who rely on power and cunning rather than dharma; crisis reveals true steadiness, and fear-driven retreat follows when support structures collapse.
After Karna (Ādhirathi) has been killed, Śakuni—escorted by a thousand Gandhāra fighters—sees the outcome and immediately withdraws from the battlefield, running back to the Kaurava camp.