Shloka 36
अथाब्रवीन्नरव्याप्र: प्रहसन्निव तान् नृपान् नैतानि वीरशय्यासु युक्तरूपाणि पार्थिवा:,तदनन्तर पुरुषसिंह भीष्मने हँसते हुए-से उन राजाओंसे कहा--'भूमिपालो! ये तकिये वीरशय्याके अनुरूप नहीं हैं!
athābravīn naravyāghraḥ prahasann iva tān nṛpān | naitāni vīraśayyāsu yukta-rūpāṇi pārthivāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: Then the tiger among men spoke, as if with a faint smile, to those kings: “O rulers of the earth, these cushions are not fitting for a hero’s bed.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the Kṣatriya ideal of endurance and honor: a warrior should not seek soft comforts when facing battle or death. The remark critiques indulgence and calls rulers to a standard of fitting conduct in a heroic context.
Sañjaya narrates that a heroic figure (addressing assembled kings) speaks with a slight smile and dismisses the cushions as unsuitable for a ‘hero’s bed,’ implying that the situation demands readiness for hardship rather than comfort.