Shloka 176
Abhimanyu’s Śrāddha; Vyāsa’s Assurance of the Unborn Heir (अभिमन्योः श्राद्धं तथा गर्भरक्षणोपदेशः)
खेदितो द्रोणकर्णाभ्यां दौःशासनिवशं गत: । “लाखों राजाओंके समूहोंको मारकर द्रोण और कर्णके साथ युद्ध करते-करते जब वह बहुत थक गया, उस समय दु:शासनके पुत्रके द्वारा मारा गया
khedito droṇakarṇābhyāṃ dauḥśāsanivaśaṃ gataḥ |
Sinabi ni Vaiśaṃpāyana: Matapos pumatay ng napakaraming hari at makipaglaban nang matagal kina Droṇa at Karṇa hanggang sa siya’y lubhang mapagod, napasakamay siya ng anak ni Duḥśāsana at napatay. Ipinahihiwatig ng taludtod na ito na kahit ang dakilang giting ay maaaring madaig ng pagkapagod at ng pagkakataon; sa digmaan, ang pagbagsak ng lakas ay nagiging isang malungkot at makabuluhang pagliko sa dharma, hindi lamang usaping taktika.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the vulnerability of even the strongest warriors: sustained violence and relentless struggle lead to exhaustion, and in that weakened state one can be overcome. Ethically, it points to the tragic cost of war—victory and defeat often hinge not only on virtue or skill but on fatigue, circumstance, and the cumulative burden of killing.
Vaiśaṃpāyana narrates that a warrior, after fighting Droṇa and Karṇa and slaughtering many kings, becomes extremely fatigued and consequently falls under the power of Duḥśāsana’s son, who kills him (as indicated by the accompanying narrative sense).