Shloka 78
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
संमुखेन प्रयुध्यंते न च गच्छंति कातरं । न भग्नं पृष्ठतो घ्नंति निःशस्त्रं प्रपलायितम्
saṃmukhena prayudhyaṃte na ca gacchaṃti kātaraṃ | na bhagnaṃ pṛṣṭhato ghnaṃti niḥśastraṃ prapalāyitam
Sie kämpfen von Angesicht zu Angesicht und verfallen nicht in Feigheit. Sie schlagen weder den, der besiegt den Rücken kehrt, noch den Unbewaffneten, der flieht.
Unspecified (narrative voice not provided in the input excerpt)
Concept: Dharma-yuddha is governed by restraint: courage without cruelty, and victory without dishonor.
Application: Compete ethically: face problems directly, avoid exploiting the weak, and refuse ‘cheap wins’ that harm those who cannot defend themselves.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A battlefield pauses in a moment of moral clarity: armored warriors stand face-to-face with raised bows, yet one victor lowers his weapon as an unarmed foe flees. The air holds dust and conch-calls, but the central figure’s posture radiates restraint—valor governed by dharma.","primary_figures":["kṣatriya warrior upholding dharma","fleeing unarmed soldier","battle witnesses (standard-bearers, charioteer)"],"setting":"Open plain battlefield with chariots, banners, and trampled grass; distant ranks and a faint temple silhouette on the horizon to suggest sacred oversight.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["burnished gold","iron gray","vermillion red","dusty ochre","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a dharma-bound kṣatriya in ornate armor lowers his sword as an unarmed enemy retreats, frontal heroic stance, gold leaf halos and borders, rich crimson and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments, stylized chariot wheels and banners, South Indian iconographic symmetry emphasizing moral restraint.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical battlefield at dawn with delicate brushwork, a noble warrior refusing to strike a fleeing unarmed foe, cool blue shadows on distant hills, refined faces and expressive eyes, fluttering pennants, subtle dust haze, moral drama conveyed through gentle gestures.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and natural pigments, dharmic warrior in profile with large expressive eyes, lowered weapon signifying restraint, patterned armor and textiles in red/yellow/green palette, temple-wall aesthetic with rhythmic banner motifs and conch symbols.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic dharma-yuddha tableau framed by lotus and floral borders, central righteous warrior under a stylized divine canopy, peacocks and auspicious motifs at corners, deep blue ground with gold highlights, narrative panels showing ‘do not strike the unarmed/fleeing’ as moral vignettes."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell","war drums softened","temple bells in distance","wind over flags","brief silence at the moral turning point"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रयुध्यंते → प्रयुध्यन्ते (अनुस्वार-लेखनभेद). गच्छंति → गच्छन्ति (अनुस्वार-लेखनभेद). घ्नंति → घ्नन्ति (अनुस्वार-लेखनभेद).
FAQs
It teaches dharma-yuddha: combat should be fair—fought face to face—and one should not kill the defeated from behind, nor attack the unarmed or those who are fleeing.
Yes. It frames restraint as a mark of righteousness: mercy and fairness apply even in conflict, especially toward those who are defenseless or have disengaged.
As an ethical guideline for any conflict: confront issues directly, avoid cowardly or opportunistic harm, and do not exploit someone when they are vulnerable or unable to defend themselves.