Shloka 68
अजिशीर्षे प्रातःसंध्यायां संग्रामवर्णनम् / Dawn-Transition Battle at Ajiśīrṣa
Chapter 161
निवर्तयामास तदा वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह । नरेश्वर! उन्हें भागते देख राजा दुर्योधनने लौटाया और उस समय उनसे यह बात कही -- ६७३ || अलं द्रुतेन व: शूरास्तिष्ठ ध्वं क्षत्रियर्षभा:,क्षत्रियशिरोमणि शूरवीरो! ठहरो, तुम्हारे भागनेकी कोई आवश्यकता नहीं है। मैं स्वयं अभी अर्जुनका वध करनेके लिये युद्धभूमिमें चलता हूँ। मैं पांचालों और सोमकोंसहित कुन्तीकुमारोंका वध करूँगा
sañjaya uvāca | nivartayāmāsa tadā vākyam etad uvāca ha | nareśvara! tān palāyamānān dṛṣṭvā rājā duryodhanaḥ pratyāvartayāmāsa, atha ca tān idam uvāca— alaṃ drutena vaḥ śūrās tiṣṭhadhvaṃ kṣatriyarṣabhāḥ | kṣatriyaśiromaṇe śūravīra! tiṣṭha, na vo palāyanasya kāraṇam asti | aham eva idānīm arjunasya vadhaṃ kartum raṇabhūmau gacchāmi | pañcālān somakāṃś ca saha kuntīkumaraiḥ haniṣyāmi |
Sañjaya said: Then King Duryodhana checked them as they fled and spoke these words: “Enough of this running, O heroes, bulls among kṣatriyas—stand firm! O crest-jewel of warriors, there is no need for you to retreat in flight. I myself will go onto the battlefield at once to slay Arjuna. I will kill the sons of Kuntī along with the Pañcālas and the Somakas.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how appeals to kṣatriya honor can rally troops, yet also exposes the ethical danger of letting pride and vengeance dictate action—turning courage into destructive resolve rather than dharmic restraint.
Seeing his warriors retreat, Duryodhana stops them and commands them to stand firm, declaring that he himself will go to the battlefield to kill Arjuna and then destroy the Pāṇḍavas along with their allies, the Pañcālas and Somakas.