Shloka 10
Bhīṣma’s Admonition; Duryodhana’s Rājasūya Aspiration and the Proposal of a Vaiṣṇava-satra
ततस्ते सहिता: सर्वे तरक्षून् महिषान् मृगान् । गवयर्क्षवराहांश्व समन्तात् पर्यकालयन्,तदनन्तर वे सब लोग तरक्षुओं (जरखों), जंगली भैंसों, गवयों, रीछों और शूकरों एवं अन्य जंगली हिंसक पशुओंका सब ओरसे शिकार करने लगे
tataste sahitāḥ sarve tarakṣūn mahiṣān mṛgān | gavayarkṣavarāhāṃś ca samantāt paryakālayan |
Vaiśampāyana said: Then all of them together surrounded on every side and began hunting—jackals, wild buffaloes, deer, gayals, bears, boars, and other wild beasts. The scene underscores a collective, organized pursuit of forest game, reflecting the harsh necessities and martial habits that can arise during life in the wilderness, while also hinting at the ethical tension between survival, sport, and restraint.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse does not preach directly, but it highlights how group intent and circumstance in the wilderness can normalize organized violence (hunting). It invites reflection on dharmic restraint: whether killing is for necessity, protection, or mere sport, and how collective momentum can intensify harm.
A group (previously mentioned in the chapter) acts together to encircle wild animals—jackals, wild buffaloes, deer, gayals, bears, and boars—and begins hunting them from all sides, suggesting a coordinated drive or surround-hunt in the forest.