Shloka 17
अध्याय ३३ — कर्म, दैव, हठ, स्वभाव और पुरुषार्थ पर द्रौपदी का उपदेश
Draupadī on Action, Fate, and Human Effort
तत्र चेद् युध्यमानानामजिह्यमनिवर्तिनाम् | सर्वशो हि वध: श्रेयान् प्रेत्मय लोकान् लभेमहि,“ऐसी दशामें यदि हम पीठ न दिखाकर युद्धमें निष्कपटभावसे लड़ते रहें और उसमें हमारा वध भी हो जाय तो वह कल्याणकारक है; क्योंकि युद्धमें मरनेसे हमें उत्तम लोकोंकी प्राप्ति होगी
tatra ced yudhyamānānām ajihyam anivartinām | sarvaśo hi vadhaḥ śreyān pretmy lokān labhemahi ||
قال فايشَمبايانا: «فإنّا، في مثل هذه الحال، إن واصلنا القتال من غير أن نُولي الأدبار—بصدقٍ وثباتٍ لا يتزعزع—فحتى لو قُتلنا كان ذلك خيرَ المسلك؛ لأن الموت في المعركة يهبنا، بعد الوفاة، بلوغ العوالم العليا.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse upholds kṣatriya-dharma: in a righteous combat situation, steadfast fighting without retreat or deceit is ethically preferable, and death in such battle is portrayed as spiritually beneficial, leading to higher post-mortem realms.
Vaiśampāyana narrates a stance taken in the story: faced with a grave conflict, the speakers consider that continuing to fight without turning back is the proper course, even if it results in their death, because it is deemed honorable and leads to auspicious worlds after death.