Shloka 2
Jarā’s Account and the Enthronement of Jarāsandha (जरासंधोत्पत्तिः अभिषेकश्च)
न सम मृत्युं वयं विद्य रात्रौ वा यदि वा दिवा | न चापि कंचिदमरमयुद्धेनानुशुश्रुम
na sma mṛtyuṃ vayaṃ vidma rātrau vā yadi vā divā | na cāpi kaṃcid amaram ayuddhenānuśuśruma, mahārāja ||
Vāyu said: “We do not know when death will come—whether by night or by day—for no one can know its fixed hour. Nor have we ever heard, O King, that anyone became immortal merely by refraining from battle.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Death is uncertain in timing and cannot be avoided by mere inaction; therefore one should not abandon rightful duty out of fear, since abstaining from battle does not grant immortality.
Vāyudeva addresses the king and argues against hesitation: since no one knows the hour of death and non-combat has never made anyone deathless, one should not shrink from the duty of fighting when it is dharmically required.