Shloka 20
भीष्मपर्व — अध्याय ७२: सैन्यगुणवर्णनम्, व्यूहरक्षा, दैव-पुरुषकारचिन्ता
किमु पाण्डुसुतान् युद्धे हीनवीर्यपराक्रमान् । स तथा कुरु भद्रें ते यथा वध्यन्ति पाण्डवा:
sañjaya uvāca | kimu pāṇḍusutān yuddhe hīnavīryaparākramān | sa tathā kuru bhadre te yathā vadhyanti pāṇḍavāḥ ||
Sañjaya sprach: „Um wie viel mehr (ist der Sieg gewiss) in der Schlacht gegen die Söhne Pāṇḍus, die an Kraft und Tapferkeit geringer sind! Darum, zu deinem Wohle, handle so, dass die Pāṇḍavas erschlagen werden.“
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse illustrates war-time rhetoric that belittles the opponent to spur decisive action. Ethically, it highlights how pride and contempt can distort judgment in conflict, pushing leaders toward the extreme aim of annihilating kin rather than seeking restraint or reconciliation.
Within the Bhīṣma Parva war setting, Sañjaya reports a statement urging a commander to act so that the Pāṇḍavas are killed, claiming they are inferior in strength and valor—an attempt to encourage aggressive strategy and confidence on the Kaurava side.