Shloka 7
Duryodhana-śibira-praveśaḥ — The Pāṇḍavas Enter the Kaurava Camp; The Burning of Arjuna’s Chariot
दुष्करं भवता कर्म रणेडद्य सुमहत् कृतम् कौरवेन्द्र रणे हत्वा गदयातिकृतश्रमम्
duṣkaraṃ bhavatā karma raṇe'dya sumahat kṛtam | kauravendra raṇe hatvā gadayātikṛtaśramam ||
सञ्जय उवाच—दुष्करं भवता कर्म रणेडद्य सुमहत्कृतम्। कौरवेन्द्रं रणे हत्वा गदायुद्धेऽतिकृतश्रमम्॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral tension of battlefield success: even when victory is achieved through extraordinary prowess, it remains a grave act—killing an opponent who has already been pushed to extreme exhaustion. It invites reflection on how martial achievement and ethical evaluation can coexist uneasily in the Mahābhārata’s dharma discourse.
Sañjaya reports and praises the decisive outcome of the mace-duel: Duryodhana, worn out by intense exertion in gada-yuddha, has been slain in battle. Addressing the Kuru-king (Yudhiṣṭhira), Sañjaya frames the act as a great and difficult exploit accomplished that day.