Shloka 18
शकुनिवधः — Sahadeva’s Slaying of Śakuni
with Ulūka’s fall
एतद् बलमभूच्छेषं धार्तराष्ट्रस्य माधव । “माधव! दुर्योधनकी सेनामें अश्वत्थामा, कृपाचार्य, त्रिगर्तराज सुशर्मा, उलूक, शकुनि और सात्वतवंशी कृतवर्मा--ये थोड़े-से ही वीर सैनिक शेष रह गये हैं ।।
sañjaya uvāca |
etad balam abhūc cheṣaṃ dhārtarāṣṭrasya mādhava |
mokṣo na nūnaṃ kālāt tu vidyate bhuvi kasyacit ||
సంజయుడు పలికెను— ఓ మాధవ! ధృతరాష్ట్ర సేనకు ఇదే శేషబలం. నిజమే, భూమిపై ఎవరికీ కాలం నుండి విముక్తి లేదు.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the inevitability of Kāla (Time/Death): worldly power dwindles, and no being can ultimately evade Time’s decree—an ethical reminder against pride and attachment to transient might.
Sanjaya reports to the listener that only a remnant of the Kaurava (Dhritarashtra’s) forces remains, and he frames this collapse within the larger truth that none can escape the workings of Time.