Shloka 81

Vāsudeva-Māhātmya: Duryodhana’s Inquiry and Bhīṣma’s Theological Account of Keśava

Devanagari script

क्व क्षत्रिया यास्यथ नैष धर्म: सतां पुरस्तात्‌ कथित: पुराणै: । मा स्वां प्रतिज्ञां त्यजत प्रवीरा: स्व वीरधर्म परिपालयध्वम्‌,'क्षत्रियो! कहाँ जा रहे हो? प्राचीन महापुरुषों-द्वारा यह श्रेष्ठ क्षत्रियोंका धर्म नहीं बताया गया है। वीरो! अपनी प्रतिज्ञा न छोड़ो, अपने वीर धर्मका पालन करो”

Transliteration

kva kṣatriyā yāsyatha naiṣa dharmaḥ satāṃ purastāt kathitaḥ purāṇaiḥ | mā svāṃ pratijñāṃ tyajata pravīrāḥ sva vīradharmaṃ paripālayadhvam ||

Translation

«Wohin geht ihr, ihr Kṣatriyas? Das ist nicht das Dharma, das die Edlen der Vorzeit vor den Rechtschaffenen verkündet haben. O ihr erlesensten Helden, verlasst euren eigenen Schwur nicht; wahrt das Kriegergesetz und steht fest in eurer Tapferkeit!»

Word by Word

• {'kva': 'where?', 'kṣatriyāḥ': 'kṣatriyas

• warrior-nobles', 'yāsyatha': 'you are going / will you go', 'na': 'not', 'eṣaḥ dharmaḥ': 'this dharma

• this rightful conduct', 'satām': 'of the good/noble

• of the virtuous', 'purastāt': 'formerly

• before (in time)', 'kathitaḥ': 'told, declared, taught', 'purāṇaiḥ': 'by the ancients

• by men of old/tradition-bearers', 'mā': 'do not (prohibitive)', 'svām': 'one’s own', 'pratijñām': 'vow, pledge, solemn promise', 'tyajata': 'abandon, give up', 'pravīrāḥ': 'great heroes

• eminent warriors', 'vīradharmam': 'heroic/warrior duty

• code of valor', 'paripālayadhvam': 'uphold, protect, observe (2nd pl. imperative)'}

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Sañjaya
• kṣatriyas (warriors)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A kṣatriya must not flee or forsake a pledged duty in the face of danger; true dharma for warriors is steadfastness—protecting one’s vow and maintaining the code of valor as taught by revered tradition.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya rebukes warriors who appear to be withdrawing or wavering, urging them to remember the anciently sanctioned kṣatriya code and to hold to their promises and martial duty rather than retreating.