Shloka 403
Yuddha-yajña-vyākhyāna (The Battle as Sacrifice): Ambarīṣa–Indra Saṃvāda
अप्रतिष्ठ: स नरकं याति नास्त्यत्र संशय: । जो योद्धा भयभीत हो पीठ दिखाकर भागता है और उसी अवस्थामें शत्रुओंद्वारा मारा जाता है, वह कहीं भी न ठहरकर सीधा नरकमें गिरता है, इसमें संशय नहीं है
apratiṣṭhaḥ sa narakaṃ yāti nāsty atra saṃśayaḥ |
অম্বরীষ বললেন—যে যোদ্ধা ভয়ে পিঠ দেখিয়ে পালায় এবং সেই অবস্থাতেই শত্রুর হাতে নিহত হয়, সে ‘অপ্রতিষ্ঠ’ হয়ে সরাসরি নরকে পতিত হয়; এতে সন্দেহ নেই।
अम्बरीष उवाच
Educational Q&A
Fear-driven desertion of one’s duty—especially a warrior fleeing and being killed while retreating—destroys one’s moral standing (pratiṣṭhā) and leads to severe karmic consequence, described here as falling into hell.
Ambarīṣa is stating a firm judgment about battlefield conduct: a fighter who turns his back in fear and is slain in that condition is deemed “apratiṣṭha” and is said to go to naraka, with no doubt.