Mahabharata 11.21.12 — Stree Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 12
अध्याय २१ — गान्धार्या वैकर्तनदर्शनम्
Gāndhārī’s Viewing of Vaikartana/Karṇa
'प्राणनाथ! निश्चय ही तुमपर आचार्यका दिया हुआ शाप लागू हो गया, जिससे इस पृथ्वीने तुम्हारे रथके पहियेको ग्रस लिया, तभी युद्धमें शोभा पानेवाले अर्जुनने रणभूमिमें अपने बाणसे तुम्हारा सिर काट लिया” ।।
prāṇanātha! niścaya hi tumapar ācāryakā diyā huā śāpa lāgū ho gayā, jisase is pṛthvīne tumhāre rathake pahiyeko grasa liyā, tabhī yuddhameṃ śobhā pānevāle arjunane raṇabhūmimeṃ apane bāṇase tumhārā śira kāṭ liyā. hā hā dhig eṣā patitā visaṃjñā samīkṣya jāmbūnadabaddhakakṣam karṇa mahābāhum adīnasattvaṃ suṣeṇamātā rudatī bhṛśārtā, hāya! hāya! mujhe dhikkār hai. suvarṇa-kavacadhārī udār hṛdaya mahābāhu karṇako is avasthāmeṃ dekhakar atyanta ātura ho rotī huī suṣeṇakī mātā mūrcchita hokar gir paṛī.
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “O panginoon ng aking buhay! Tunay ngang tumalab sa iyo ang sumpang ibinigay ng guro: sinakmal ng lupa ang gulong ng iyong karwahe, at saka si Arjuna—maluwalhati sa digmaan—ay pinutol ang iyong ulo sa larangan sa pamamagitan ng kanyang palaso.” Nang makita si Karṇa, ang dakilang mandirigmang malalakas ang bisig at di natitinag ang loob, na ang baywang ay nabibigkis ng gintong palamuti, ang ina ni Suṣeṇa ay humiyaw sa matalim na dalamhati: “Ay, ay—kahihiyan sa akin!” At sa tindi ng pighati, siya’y bumagsak na walang malay sa lupa.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the convergence of destiny (a curse ripening at the decisive instant) and human action in war, and it foregrounds the ethical aftermath: the true cost of victory is measured in irreversible loss and the grief borne by families, especially mothers.
Vaiśampāyana recounts that Karṇa’s chariot wheel was seized by the earth due to a teacher’s curse, leaving him vulnerable; Arjuna then struck and severed his head. Immediately after, Suṣeṇa’s mother sees Karṇa’s fallen body, cries out in anguish, and faints.
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