Shloka 41
Bhīmasena’s Kalinga Engagement and the Approach of Bhīṣma (भीमसेन-कालिङ्ग-संग्रामः)
अपरे क्षत्रिया: शूरा: कृतवैरा: परस्परम् | नैव शस्त्र विमुछ्चन्ति नैव क्रन्दन्ति मारिष,माननीय महाराज! दूसरे शूरवीर क्षत्रिय आपसमें वैर बाँधे हुए उस घायल अवस्थामें भी न हथियार छोड़ते थे और न क्रन्दन ही करते थे
apare kṣatriyāḥ śūrāḥ kṛtavairāḥ parasparam | naiva śastraṃ vimuñcanti naiva krandanti māriṣa ||
Sañjaya said: Other valiant kṣatriyas too—bound to one another by settled enmity—would not let go of their weapons even when wounded, nor would they cry out. In the midst of battle, their warrior code and pride held them to steadfast endurance, revealing the grim ethic of kṣatriya duty where resolve is displayed through silence and unbroken combat.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the kṣatriya ideal of steadfastness in battle: even when injured, a warrior does not abandon arms or give way to public lament. It portrays an ethic of endurance and honor, while also underscoring the harsh, binding force of mutual enmity in war.
Sañjaya describes the battlefield scene to the king: many warriors, locked in mutual hostility, continue fighting despite wounds. Their refusal to drop weapons or cry out emphasizes the intensity of the combat and the warriors’ determination.