Shloka 37
ऐसा कहकर पुरुषसिंह महाबाहु धर्मराज युधिष्ठिर श्वेतवर्ण और काली पूँछवाले
yathā kadambakusumaṃ kesaraiḥ sarvato vṛtam | cittaṃ śaraśataiḥ karṇaṃ dharmarājo dadarśa saḥ ||
Gaya ng bulaklak na kadamba na napalilibutan sa lahat ng panig ng mga himaymay nito, gayon nakita ni Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira si Karṇa—ang katawan niya’y lubos na nababalot at nabubutas ng daan-daang palaso.
संयज उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses a striking simile to frame the ethical mood of victory: even a fallen enemy is to be regarded with sobriety. The beauty of the kadamba image heightens the tragedy of war, reminding the listener that dharma restrains triumphalism and calls for humane awareness amid destruction.
After the decisive combat, Yudhiṣṭhira comes to the battlefield and sees Karṇa lying still, his body densely pierced by countless arrows. The narration emphasizes the visual reality of Karṇa’s fall and the solemn recognition of it by Dharmarāja.