Shloka 14
द्रोण-पार्थ-युद्धम्
Droṇa–Pārtha Strategic Engagement
उत्सूजैतद् रथानीकं गच्छ यत्र सुयोधन: । तत्रैव योत्स्ये वैराटे नास्ति युद्ध निरामिषम् । त॑ जित्वा विनिवर्तिष्ये गा: समादाय वै पुन:
utsṛjaitad rathānīkaṃ gaccha yatra suyodhanaḥ | tatraiva yotsye vairāṭe nāsti yuddhaṃ nirāmiṣam | taṃ jitvā vinivartiṣye gāḥ samādāya vai punaḥ ||
Arjuna sagte: „Lass diese Wagenmacht beiseite und fahre dorthin, wo Suyodhana (Duryodhana) ist. Dort, im Land Virāṭas, will ich kämpfen; denn Krieg ist niemals ohne bitteren Preis. Habe ich ihn besiegt, kehre ich wieder zurück und bringe das Vieh heim.“
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Arjuna underscores a sober ethic of warfare: battle is never truly ‘nirāmiṣa’—free from harm or bitter consequence—so it must be undertaken with clear purpose and responsibility. His resolve is framed as a duty-bound act (recovering the stolen cattle and confronting the aggressor), not as violence for its own sake.
Arjuna directs his companion to move toward Suyodhana (Duryodhana), declaring that he will engage him in Virāṭa’s territory. He states his intention to defeat the Kaurava leader and then return with the recovered cattle.