Shloka 19
अर्जुनस्य लक्ष्यवेधः
Arjuna’s Hitting of the Target at the Svayaṃvara
यदा तु मृत्युरादातुं न न: शकक्नोति सर्वशः । तदास्माभिरयं दृष्ट उपायस्तात सम्मत:,तात! जब मौत हमें अपने अंकमें न ले सकी, तब हमलोगोंने सर्वसम्मतिसे यह उपाय ढूँढ़ निकाला था
yadā tu mṛtyur ādātuṃ na naḥ śaknoti sarvaśaḥ | tadāsmābhir ayaṃ dṛṣṭa upāyas tāta sammataḥ ||
But when Death was unable to take us away completely, we—after deliberation—found and agreed upon this course of action, dear child.
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
When confronted with mortality and crisis, one should respond with thoughtful, collectively approved action (upāya) rather than despair; the verse highlights human agency operating within the limits set by fate.
Vasiṣṭha addresses a younger listener (“tāta”), explaining that at a time when Death could not fully claim them, they deliberated and arrived at a mutually accepted plan to deal with their situation.