Shloka 44
(दुर्योधनस्य क्षुद्रस्यथ न प्रमाणेडवतिष्ठत: । सौमदत्तेरव॑ध: साधु: स वै साहाय्यकारिण: ।। “जो शास्त्रीय मर्यादामें स्थित नहीं रहता, उस नीच दुर्योधनकी सहायता करनेवाले सोमदत्तकुमार भूरिश्रवाका जो इस प्रकार वध हुआ है, वह ठीक ही है। अस्मदीया मया रक्ष्या: प्राणबाध उपस्थिते । ये मे प्रत्यक्षतों वीरा हन्येरन्निति मे मति: ।। “मेरा यह दृढ़ निश्चय है कि मुझे प्राण-संकट उपस्थित होनेपर आत्मीय जनोंकी रक्षा करनी चाहिये; विशेषत: उन वीरोंकी जो मेरी आँखोंके सामने मारे जा रहे हों। सात्यकिश्न वश॑ नीत: कौरवेण महात्मना । ततो मयैतच्चरितं प्रतिज्ञारक्षणं प्रति ।। “कुरुवंशी महामना भूरिश्रवाने सात्यकिको अपने वशमें कर लिया था। इसीसे अपनी प्रतिज्ञाकी रक्षाके लिये मैंने यह कार्य किया है'। संजय उवाच पुनश्चव कृपया5<विष्टो बहु तत्तद् विचिन्तयन् उवाच चैनं कौरव्यमर्जुन: शोकपीडित: ।। संजय कहते हैं--राजन्! फिर बहुत-सी भिन्न-भिन्न बातें सोचकर अर्जुन दयासे द्रवित और शोकसे पीड़ित हो उठे तथा कुरुवंशी भूरिश्रवासे इस प्रकार बोले। अजुन उवाच धिगस्तु क्षत्रधर्म तु यत्र त्वं पुरुषेश्चर: । अवस्थामीदृशीं प्राप्त: शरण्य: शरणप्रद: । अर्जुनने कहा--उस क्षत्रिय-धर्मको धिक्कार है, जहाँ दूसरोंको शरण देनेवाले आप- जैसे शरणागतवत्सल नरेश एसी अवस्थाको जा पहुँचे हैं। को हि नाम पुमॉल्लोके मादृश: पुरुषोत्तम: । प्रहरेत् त्वद्विधं त्वद्य प्रतिज्ञा यदि नो भवेत् ।।) यदि पहलेसे प्रतिज्ञा न की गयी होती तो संसारमें मेरे-जैसा कौन श्रेष्ठ पुरुष आप-जैसे गुरुजनपर आज ऐसा प्रहार कर सकता था। एवमुक्त: स पार्थेन शिरसा भूमिमस्पृशत् । पाणिना चैव सब्येन प्राहिणोदस्य दक्षिणम्,कुन्तीकुमार अर्जुनके ऐसा कहनेपर भूरिश्रवाने अपने मस्तकसे भूमिका स्पर्श किया। बायें हाथसे अपना दाहिना हाथ उठाकर अर्जुनके पास फेंक दिया
arjuna uvāca |
duryodhanasya kṣudrasya yathā na pramāṇe 'vatiṣṭhataḥ |
saumadatter avadhaḥ sādhuḥ sa vai sahāyyakāriṇaḥ ||
asmadīyā mayā rakṣyāḥ prāṇabādhe upasthite |
ye me pratyakṣato vīrā hanyerann iti me matiḥ ||
sātyakiś ca vaśaṃ nītaḥ kauraveṇa mahātmanā |
tato mayaitac caritaṃ pratijñārakṣaṇaṃ prati ||
sañjaya uvāca |
punaś ca kṛpayāviṣṭo bahu tat-tad vicintayan |
uvāca cainaṃ kauravyam arjunaḥ śokapīḍitaḥ ||
arjuna uvāca |
dhig astu kṣatradharmaṃ tu yatra tvaṃ puruṣeśvara |
avasthām īdṛśīṃ prāptaḥ śaraṇyaḥ śaraṇapradaḥ ||
ko hi nāma pumāṃl loke mādṛśaḥ puruṣottama |
praharet tvad-vidhaṃ tv adya pratijñā yadi no bhavet ||
evam uktaḥ sa pārthena śirasā bhūmim aspṛśat |
pāṇinā caiva savyena prāhiṇod asya dakṣiṇam ||
Arjuna said: “Since that petty Duryodhana does not stand within the bounds of rightful conduct, the slaying of Somadatta’s son (Bhūriśravas)—as one who aided him—was indeed fitting. When life is in danger, it is my firm resolve to protect my own people—especially those heroes who are being struck down before my very eyes. Bhūriśravas, the high-souled Kuru, had brought Sātyaki under his control; therefore, to safeguard my vow, I acted in this way.” Sañjaya said: “O King, then Arjuna—overcome with compassion, thinking over many matters, and afflicted with grief—spoke again to the Kuru Bhūriśravas: ‘Shame upon that kṣatriya code by which you, a lord among men—one who grants refuge and is worthy to be sought for refuge—have come to such a state. If there had been no prior vow, who in this world, even one like me, could strike today a venerable man such as you?’ Thus addressed by Pārtha, Bhūriśravas touched the earth with his head, and with his left hand he lifted up and cast away his right arm toward Arjuna.
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage dramatizes a clash between two ethical imperatives in war: fidelity to a vow (pratijñā-rakṣaṇa) and the ideal of kṣatriya honor that protects the vulnerable and respects a worthy opponent. Arjuna justifies his harsh act as necessary to keep his pledge and save an ally, yet he simultaneously condemns the very warrior-code that can force such a deed, revealing the moral cost of rigid obligations amid battlefield chaos.
Bhūriśravas (Somadatta’s son) has subdued Sātyaki. Arjuna intervenes to protect Sātyaki and to uphold a prior vow, resulting in Bhūriśravas being grievously harmed (his right arm severed). Afterward Arjuna, moved by compassion and grief, speaks to Bhūriśravas with remorse, denouncing the situation that has reduced a refuge-giving noble to such suffering; Bhūriśravas accepts the outcome, bowing to the ground and casting away his severed arm.