Shloka 16
Nala’s Embassy to Damayantī and the Gods’ Proposal (नलस्य दूतत्वं देवप्रस्तावश्च)
प्राग् द्वादशसमा राजन् धार्तराष्ट्रानू निहन्महि । निवर्त्य च वनात् पार्थमानाय्य च जनार्दनम्,“राजन्! हमलोग बारह वर्ष बीतनेके पहले ही अर्जुनको वनसे लौटाकर और भगवान् श्रीकृष्णको बुलाकर धृतराष्ट्रके पुत्रोंका संहार कर सकते हैं
prāg dvādaśa-samā rājan dhārtarāṣṭrānū nihanhmahi | nivartya ca vanāt pārtham ānāyya ca janārdanam ||
قال فايشَمبايانا: «يا أيها الملك، حتى قبل اكتمال اثنتي عشرة سنة، نستطيع أن نضرب أبناء دِهرتراشترا—بأن نُعيد بارثا (أرجونا) من الغابة ونستدعي جاناردانا (كريشنا).»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the tension between strategic urgency and the ethical weight of commitments: decisive action against wrongdoing is envisioned as effective only when aligned with rightful support—Arjuna’s prowess and Kṛṣṇa’s guiding presence—implying that power should be exercised with counsel and dharmic orientation, not merely impatience.
Vaiśaṃpāyana, narrating to King Janamejaya, states that it would be possible to destroy Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons even before the twelve-year period ends, if Arjuna were recalled from the forest and Kṛṣṇa were brought in—framing a hypothetical plan for early confrontation with the Kauravas.