Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 116
Śalya Installed as Commander; Coalition Agreement and Battle Arrays (शल्यसेनापत्यारोहणं व्यूहवर्णनं च)
मर्त्यरधर्माण इह तु किमु सृजजयसोमकान् | “आप रणभूमिमें सम्पूर्ण देवताओं, असुरों और मनुष्योंको जीत सकते हैं। फिर यहाँ मरणधर्मा सूंजयों और सोमकोंपर विजय पाना कौन बड़ी बात है?”
martyadharmāṇa iha tu kimu sṛñjayasomakān |
Sañjaya said: “If you are capable of conquering in battle all the gods, the asuras, and human warriors, then what greatness is there in defeating the Sṛñjayas and the Somakas here—who are, after all, subject to death?”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the ethical and existential point that mortal opponents are inherently limited; boasting of victory over death-bound humans is rhetorically diminished when compared to grand claims of conquering divine and demonic forces.
Sañjaya reports a taunting or confidence-boosting statement in the war context: the speaker argues that if one can defeat devas, asuras, and men, then defeating the Sṛñjayas and Somakas—mere mortals—should be easy and not especially glorious.
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