Shloka 20
अर्जुनकर्णयोर्युद्धवर्णनम्
Description of the Arjuna–Karṇa Engagement and Counsel to Duryodhana
मन्यमानो हतं कर्ण धर्मराजो युधिष्ठिर: । हर्षगद्गदया वाचा प्रीत: प्राह परंतप:,शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरने कर्णको मारा गया मानकर हर्षगद्गद वाणीसे प्रसन्नतापूर्वक वार्तालाप आरम्भ किया
manyamāno hataṁ karṇaṁ dharmarājo yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | harṣagaddagayā vācā prītaḥ prāha parantapaḥ ||
Sañjaya nói: Tưởng rằng Karṇa đã bị giết, Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira vui mừng khôn xiết; giọng ngài nghẹn lại vì hoan hỷ, rồi bắt đầu cất lời.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension of dharma in wartime: even a righteous ruler can be overtaken by intense emotion—relief and joy—when a formidable enemy is believed defeated, showing how human feeling persists within the demands of duty and conflict.
Sañjaya reports that Yudhiṣṭhira, thinking Karṇa has been killed, becomes pleased and begins speaking with a voice trembling from joy—marking a shift in morale and setting up the ensuing dialogue and reactions on the battlefield.