Shloka 43
गदायुद्धप्रतिज्ञा — The Vow and Terms of the Mace Duel
हत्वा वा समरे पार्थान् स्फीतं राज्यमवाप्रुहि । निहतो वा रणे<स्माभिवीरलोकमवाप्स्यसि,संग्राममें समस्त पाण्डवोंको मारकर समृद्धिशाली राज्य प्राप्त करो अथवा रणभूमिमें हमारे हाथों मारे जाकर वीरोंको मिलनेयोग्य पुण्यलोकोंमें चले जाओ
hatvā vā samare pārthān sphītaṃ rājyam avāpnuhi | nihato vā raṇe ’smābhir vīralokam avāpsyasi ||
«إمّا أن تقتلَ آلَ بارثا في المعركة فتظفرَ بمملكةٍ مزدهرة، وإمّا إن قُتلتَ في ساحة القتال بأيدينا فستبلغُ العوالمَ المباركةَ المخصّصةَ للأبطال.»
युधिषछ्िर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents the warrior’s binary of outcomes under kṣatriya-dharma: victory brings legitimate sovereignty, while death in righteous battle is portrayed as leading to the heroic realm (vīraloka). It underscores accountability and the moral framing of combat as duty-bound rather than merely personal.
Yudhiṣṭhira addresses an opponent in the Shalya Parva context of ongoing war, challenging him to fight decisively: either defeat the Pāṇḍavas and claim the kingdom, or be slain by them and gain the posthumous reward traditionally ascribed to fallen heroes.