Shloka 18
Virāṭa’s Mobilization to Recover the Cattle (गोधनरक्षणार्थ विराटस्य सैन्यसमायोजनम्)
अत्यन्तं वा प्रणष्टास्ते प्राप्ता वापि यमक्षयम् । यामो राजन् निरुद्धिग्ना विराटनगरं वयम् | आदास्यामो हि गास्तस्य विविधानि वसूनि च,“राजन! वे अत्यन्त अदृश्य (छिपे हुए) हों या यमराज-के घर पहुँच गये हों, हमें तो उद्वेगशून्य होकर विराटनगरकी यात्रा करनी चाहिये। वहाँ हमलोग विराटकी गौओंको तथा उनके विविध धन-रत्नोंको हस्तगत कर लेंगे”
atyantaṁ vā praṇaṣṭās te prāptā vāpi yamakṣayam | yāmo rājan niruddhignā virāṭanagaraṁ vayam || ādāsyāmo hi gās tasya vividhāni vasūni ca ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: „O König, ob sie gänzlich verschwunden sind oder gar die Wohnstatt Yamas erreicht haben—wir sollen ohne Sorge zur Stadt Virāṭa ziehen. Dort werden wir Virāṭas Rinder und auch seine mannigfachen Schätze an uns bringen.“
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a mindset of calculated fearlessness used in pursuit of an unethical aim: the speaker urges proceeding ‘without anxiety’ even if opponents are dead or missing, in order to seize another king’s cattle and wealth. It implicitly contrasts strategic resolve with the moral problem of plunder (a movement toward adharma).
In the Virāṭa episode, counsel is being given to go to Virāṭa’s city and carry off his cattle and valuables. The speaker frames the plan as safe regardless of what has happened to potential resistance, invoking even the possibility that they have reached Yama’s realm.