Shloka 11
कुरुनन्दन! बलवानोंके बीचमें सैनेकबलको बल नहीं समझा जाता है। समस्त पाण्डव देवताओंके समान पराक्रमी हैं; अतः वे ही तुम्हारी अपेक्षा बलवान हैं ।। अत्राप्युदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् । माललेदातुकामस्य कनन््यां मृगयतो वरम्
kurunandana! balavānāṁ madhye sainikabalaṁ balaṁ na manyate. samastāḥ pāṇḍavā devatāsama-parākramāḥ; ataḥ te eva tava apekṣayā balavattārāḥ. atrāpy udāharanti imam itihāsaṁ purātanam—mālaleda-dātukāmasya kanyāṁ mṛgayato varam.
O joy of the Kurus, among truly mighty men, mere numerical strength of an army is not regarded as real strength. All the Pāṇḍavas possess valor like that of the gods; therefore, they are in fact stronger than you. In this very connection, the elders cite an ancient precedent: the tale of a certain man who, while hunting, sought to obtain a maiden as a gift.
कण्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
True strength is not merely the size of an army; real power lies in superior valor, capability, and moral-spiritual stature. Kaṇva warns that the Pāṇḍavas, being godlike in prowess, outweigh mere numerical advantage.
Kaṇva addresses a Kuru prince and argues against overconfidence in troop numbers. To reinforce his counsel, he introduces an old illustrative tale (itihāsa) about a hunter who sought a maiden as a gift, setting up a moral example to follow.