Shloka 256
नगरे शाकले स्फीते आहत्य निशि दुन्दुभिम् । “उस देशमें एक राक्षसी रहती है, जो सदा कृष्णपक्षकी चतुर्दशी तिथिको समृद्धिशाली शाकल नगरमें रातके समय दुन्दुभि बजाकर इस प्रकार गाती है--
nagare śākale sphīte āhatya niśi dundubhim |
“సమృద్ధమైన శాకల నగరంలో, రాత్రివేళ, ఆమె దుందుభి మ్రోగించి ఈ విధంగా పాడుతుంది.”
कर्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse functions as a narrative setup for a moral warning: public signs and ominous proclamations often symbolize the ripening of past actions and the approach of inevitable consequences, urging rulers and warriors to reflect on dharma before calamity unfolds.
Karna begins describing a scene in the city of Śākala: at night a figure (contextually, a rākṣasī in the surrounding prose) beats a drum and sings a message, serving as an ominous announcement that frames the events to be recounted next.