Shloka 9
Adhyāya 96: Nārada Guides Mātali in Varuṇa’s Realm
Varuṇa-loka Darśana
बलवानहमित्येव न मन्तव्यं सुयोधन । बलवन्तो बलिभ्यो हि दृश्यन्ते पुरुषर्षभ,पुरुषरत्न सुयोधन! तुम्हें यह नहीं मानना चाहिये कि मैं ही सबसे अधिक बलवान हूँ; क्योंकि संसारमें बलवानोंसे भी बलवान् पुरुष देखे जाते हैं
balavān aham ity eva na mantavyaṃ suyodhana | balavanto balibhyo hi dṛśyante puruṣarṣabha ||
Kaṇva said: “O Suyodhana, you should not think, ‘I alone am strong.’ For, O bull among men, even among the mighty there are others mightier still. Therefore, do not let pride in strength become your guide; recognize the limits of power and act with restraint and discernment.”
कण्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
Do not become arrogant about one’s own strength; in the world there are always those stronger. Ethical action requires humility, realistic self-assessment, and restraint rather than pride-driven decisions.
Kaṇva addresses Suyodhana (Duryodhana) with admonitory counsel, warning him against overconfidence and reminding him that power is relative—an implicit check on rashness in the tense pre-war context of the Udyoga Parva.