Shloka 40
सगण: ससुद्दच्चैव पाप॑ मार्गमनुष्ित: । तवैव दुष्कृतैर्वीरी भीष्मद्रोणी निपातितौ
sagaṇaḥ sasudṛḍhaccaīva pāpaṁ mārgam anuṣṭhitaḥ | tavaiva duṣkṛtair vīra bhīṣmadroṇī nipātitau ||
உன் கூட்டத்தாருடன், கடும் உறுதியோடு நீ பாவ வழியைப் பின்பற்றினாய். வீரனே, உன் தீச்செயல்களாலேயே பீஷ்மனும் துரோணனும் வீழ்த்தப்பட்டனர்.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses moral accountability: the downfall of great figures in war is traced to one’s own adharma—wrong choices and harmful actions—rather than to fate alone. It frames consequences as arising from duṣkṛta (evil deeds) and a deliberately chosen pāpa-mārga (sinful course).
Vāyudeva addresses a warrior (vocative vīra), rebuking him for pursuing a sinful path along with his faction. He declares that due to that person’s wrongdoing, the eminent elders/commanders Bhīṣma and Droṇa have been felled in the conflict.