Shloka 22
ऋषीणां ब्रह्म॒वादानां स्वर्गस्य गमनं प्रति । सुयुद्धेन तत: प्राणानुत्स्रष्टमुपचक्रमे,वे युद्धमें अपने सामने धृष्टद्युम्मको देखकर मन-ही-मन उदास हो गये। साथ ही ब्रह्मवादी महर्षियोंके ब्रह्मलोकमें चलनेके सम्बन्धमें कहे हुए वचनोंका स्मरण करके उन्होंने उत्तम युद्धके द्वारा अपने प्राणोंको त्याग देनेका विचार किया
sañjaya uvāca | ṛṣīṇāṁ brahmavādānāṁ svargasya gamanaṁ prati | suyuddhena tataḥ prāṇān utsraṣṭum upacakrame |
Sañjaya said: Remembering the declarations of the brahman-speaking seers about the soul’s ascent to heaven, he resolved to relinquish his life through a noble fight. Seeing Dhṛṣṭadyumna before him in the battle, he grew inwardly despondent, and—holding fast to the ideal that a warrior may meet death with purpose rather than despair—he prepared to cast off his life in the best manner, by righteous combat.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames death in battle as ethically meaningful when aligned with dharma: recalling the seers’ teaching about attaining heaven, the warrior chooses to face death through noble combat rather than through fear or aimlessness.
Sañjaya narrates that, upon seeing Dhṛṣṭadyumna on the battlefield, the warrior becomes inwardly dejected yet, remembering the sages’ words about reaching heaven, he resolves to give up his life through an excellent fight.