Shloka 40
पशुवद् घातनं वा मे दहनं वा कटाग्निना | क्रियतां मूर्थ्नि वो न्यस्तं मयेदं सकल॑ पदम्,“तुमलोगोंमें साहस या शक्ति हो, तो पशुकी भाँति मेरी हत्या कर दो अथवा घास- फ़ूसकी आगमें मुझे जला दो। मैंने तो तुमलोगोंके मस्तकपर अपना यह पूरा पैर रख दिया
paśuvad ghātanaṃ vā me dahanaṃ vā kaṭāgninā | kriyatāṃ mūrdhni vo nyastaṃ mayedaṃ sakalaṃ padam |
Vaiśampāyana said: “If you have the daring or the strength, then kill me like an animal, or burn me in a fire of dry grass. For I have set my whole foot upon your heads.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse dramatizes the ethical tension between brute force and moral restraint: an insult is framed as so extreme that it invites violent retaliation, yet the narrative context of the Sabha Parva repeatedly tests whether power will be used as mere domination or governed by dharma and self-control.
A speaker, in a taunting and provocative tone, challenges others to kill or burn him if they have the courage, declaring that he has symbolically placed his entire foot upon their heads—an image of total humiliation and asserted superiority meant to inflame anger and provoke a response.