Shloka 16
Adhyāya 39: Śiśupāla’s Censure and Bhīma’s Contained Wrath (शिशुपाल-निन्दा तथा भीमक्रोध-निग्रहः)
निष्कर्षन्निश्चयात् सर्वे राजान: क्रोधमूर्छिता: । अब्लुव॑ंस्तत्र राजानो निर्वेदादात्मनिश्चयात्,स एव हि मया वध्यो भविष्यति न संशय: । “राजाओ! केशी दैत्यका वध करनेवाले अनन्त-पराक्रमी भगवान् श्रीकृष्णकी मेरे द्वारा जो पूजा की गयी है, उसे आपलोगोंमेंसे जो सहन न कर सकें, उन सब बलवानोंके मस्तकपर मैंने यह पैर रख दिया। मैंने खूब सोच-समझकर यह बात कही है। जो इसका उत्तर देना चाहे, वह सामने आ जाय। मेरे द्वारा वह वधके योग्य होगा; इसमें संशय नहीं है इस निर्णय एवं निष्कर्षपर पहुँचकर वे सभी नरेश क्रोधसे मोहित हो गये। सहदेवकी बातोंसे अपमानका अनुभव करके अपनी शक्तिकी प्रबलताका विश्वास करके राजाओंने उपर्युक्त बातें कही थीं
niṣkarṣan niścayāt sarve rājānaḥ krodhamūrcchitāḥ | abruvaṃs tatra rājāno nirvedād ātmaniścayāt, sa eva hi mayā vadhyo bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ |
Vaiśampāyana said: Having reached a firm conclusion, all the kings—overwhelmed by anger—spoke out there. Stung by humiliation and relying on their own sense of power and resolve, they declared, “Indeed, he alone shall be slain by me; there is no doubt.” The scene shows how wounded pride and certainty in one’s own strength can harden into a vow of violence, eclipsing restraint and discernment.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how anger combined with wounded honor and overconfidence (ātma-niścaya) can push rulers into rash, violent certainty. Ethically, it warns that emotional intoxication (krodha-mūrcchā) undermines discernment and makes retaliation feel ‘certain’ and ‘justified,’ even when it may violate restraint and dharma.
In the royal assembly, the kings, feeling insulted and provoked, reach a collective decision and speak in anger. Their reaction crystallizes into a personal vow—“he alone will be slain by me”—showing the escalation from affront to threatened violence within the court setting.