Mahabharata 7.33.24 — Drona Parva, Adhyaya 33, Shloka 24
Abhimanyu-śravaṇa-prastāva and Cakravyūha-vinyāsa
Prelude to Abhimanyu’s Account and the Wheel-Formation Deployment
बालमत्यन्तसुखिनं विचरन्तमभीतवत् | कृतास्त्रा बहवो जष्नुरब्रूहि गावल्गणे कथम्
bālam atyantasukhinaṃ vicarantam abhītavat | kṛtāstrā bahavo jaghnur abrūhi gāvalgaṇe katham, saṃjaya ||
சஞ்சயா, காவல்கணன் மகனே! மிக மகிழ்ச்சியுடன், அச்சமற்றவனெனப் போர்க்களத்தில் உலாவிய அந்தச் சிறுவனை, ஆயுதக் கலையில் தேர்ந்த பல வீரர்கள் எவ்வாறு கொன்றனர்? எனக்குச் சொல்.
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the moral shock of war: even youth, innocence, and apparent fearlessness offer no protection when conflict escalates. Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s question highlights the ethical unease that arises when many skilled fighters converge to kill a single young combatant, prompting reflection on proportionality, compassion, and the tragic consequences of adharma-driven warfare.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra, hearing of events on the battlefield, asks Saṃjaya to explain the circumstances of a boy’s death. He emphasizes the boy’s cheerful, fearless conduct in battle and wonders how numerous weapon-trained heroes were able to kill him, indicating astonishment and grief at the manner of the killing.
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