Shloka 19
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 126 — Kṛṣṇa’s Indictment of Misrule and the Varuṇa Analogy (कृष्णवाक्यं–धर्मपाशदृष्टान्तः)
“उत्तम कुलमें उत्पन्न होकर क्षत्रियधर्मके अनुसार जीवननिर्वाह करनेवाला कौन ऐसा महापुरुष होगा, जो क्षत्रियोचित वृत्तिपर दृष्टि रखते हुए भी इस प्रकार भयके कारण कभी शत्रुके सामने मस्तक झुकायेगा? ।।
vaiśampāyana uvāca | uttama-kule utpannaḥ kṣatriya-dharmānusāreṇa jīvana-nirvāhaṃ kurvan kaḥ sa mahāpuruṣaḥ syāt, yaḥ kṣatriyocita-vṛttiṃ paśyann api evaṃ bhayāt kadācit śatroḥ samakṣaṃ mastakaṃ namayet? | udyacchedeva na named udyamo hi vai pauruṣam | apy aparvaṇi bhajyeta na named iha karhi cit ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “Who, born in a noble lineage and living by the Kṣatriya code, would be such a great man as to bow his head before an enemy out of fear—even while keeping his eyes on the conduct proper to a warrior? A hero should strive and never submit; for effort itself is manly valor. Even if he is broken before his time, he should never, here, at any moment, bow down.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A Kṣatriya’s honor rests on fearless resolve: one should keep striving (udyama) and never bow to an enemy out of fear; even premature destruction is preferable to humiliating submission.
In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a warrior-ethic is being asserted: the ideal noble Kṣatriya maintains dignity and effort in the face of hostility, rejecting fear-driven capitulation before an adversary.