Shloka 29
गदायुद्ध-समारम्भः
Commencement of the Mace-Duel Proceedings
धार्तराष्ट्रबले शेषास्त्रयः समितिमर्दना: । कृपश्च कृतवर्मा च द्रोणपुत्रश्न वीर्यवान्
nārada uvāca |
dhārtarāṣṭrabale śeṣās trayaḥ samitimardanāḥ |
kṛpaś ca kṛtavarmā ca droṇaputraś ca vīryavān ||
Sinabi ni Nārada: “O Mādhava na makapangyarihan ang mga bisig, pakinggan mo rin mula sa akin ang mga pangalan ng mga hindi napatay doon. Sa hukbo ni Duryodhana, tatlong bayani na lamang ang natitira—si Kṛpa, si Kṛtavarmā, at ang magiting na anak ni Droṇa na si Aśvatthāmā—pawang mababangis na dumudurog sa hanay ng kaaway.”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the stark moral and existential residue of war: even after vast slaughter, a few powerful survivors remain, and their continued agency can shape further consequences. It invites reflection on how violence rarely ends neatly and how dharma must be navigated amid lingering enmity and unresolved outcomes.
Narada informs Krishna (Madhava) that, from Duryodhana’s side, only three notable warriors are left alive—Kripa, Kritavarma, and Ashvatthama—identifying them as formidable battle-crushers who survived the carnage.