Shloka 17
यजमानांस्तु तान् दृष्टवा सर्वान् दीक्षानुकर्शितान् । हन्तुमैच्छन्त शैलाभा: खलिनो नाम दानवा:
yajamānāṁs tu tān dṛṣṭvā sarvān dīkṣānukarśitān | hantum aicchanta śailābhāḥ khalino nāma dānavāḥ ||
দীক্ষাব্ৰতে কৃশ হৈ পৰা সেই সকলো যজমানক দেখি, পৰ্বতসম দেহধাৰী ‘খলিন’ নামৰ দানৱসকলে তেওঁলোকক বধ কৰিবলৈ ইচ্ছা কৰিলে।
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
Harming those engaged in yajña and weakened by dīkṣā is portrayed as adharma; sacred observance deserves protection, and aggression against it becomes a moral fault that precipitates justified resistance and wider conflict.
The Dānavas called Khalin see the sacrificers (devas/ritual performers) grown thin from consecration vows and decide to kill them, setting the stage for a clash between opposing forces over the integrity of the sacrifice.