Shloka 23

दुर्योधन-कर्ण-संवादः

Duryodhana–Karna Dialogue on Vyūha-bheda and Daiva

Devanagari script

बृहत्क्षत्रे हते राजन्‌ केकयानां महारथे । शैशुपालिरभिक्रुद्धों यन्तारमिदमब्रवीत्‌,राजन! केकय महारथी बृहत्क्षत्रके मारे जानेपर शिशुपालपुत्र धृष्टकेतुने अत्यन्त कुपित हो अपने सारथिसे इस प्रकार कहा--

Transliteration

bṛhatkṣatre hate rājan kekayānāṃ mahārathe | śaiśupālir abhikruddho yantāram idam abravīt ||

Translation

సంజయుడు పలికెను—రాజా! కేకయుల మహారథుడు బృహత్క్షత్రుడు హతుడైనప్పుడు, శిశుపాలుని కుమారుడు ధృష్టకేతువు మహాక్రోధంతో తన సారథితో ఈ విధంగా అన్నాడు।

Word by Word

बृहत्क्षत्रेwhen/with respect to (the warrior) Bṛhatkṣatra

हतेhaving been slain

राजन्O king

केकयानाम्of the Kekayas

महारथेin/with regard to the great chariot-warrior

शैशुपालिःthe son/descendant of Śiśupāla (Dhṛṣṭaketu)

अभिक्रुद्धःgreatly enraged

यन्तारम्the charioteer

इदम्this (speech/word)

अब्रवीत्said/spoke

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Bṛhatkṣatra

Kekaya

Śiśupāla

Dhṛṣṭaketu

charioteer (yantṛ)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights how the death of a comrade or ally can ignite uncontrolled anger, which in turn propels further violent action. In the Mahābhārata’s ethical frame, such rage is a powerful battlefield impulse that tests a warrior’s self-mastery and discernment within kṣatriya-dharma.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Bṛhatkṣatra, a prominent Kekaya chariot-warrior, has been slain. In response, Dhṛṣṭaketu (identified as the son of Śiśupāla) becomes furious and addresses his charioteer, introducing the next action or command he is about to give.