Shloka 38
इन्द्रजिद्-लक्ष्मणयुद्धम्
Indrajit and Lakṣmaṇa: Escalation through Concealment
तमेवान्विष भद्र| ते कि ते योधैर्निपातितै: । अनामिषमिदं कर्म कथं वा मन्यते भवान्,भैया! आपका भला हो, आप जयद्रथकी ही खोज करें, इन (निरीह) सैनिकोंको मारनेसे क्या लाभ? यह कार्य तो निष्फल दिखायी देता है अथवा आप इसे कैसा समझते हैं?
tam evānviṣa bhadra | te ki te yodhair nipātitaiḥ | anāmiṣam idaṃ karma kathaṃ vā manyate bhavān, bhaiyā!
Arjuna said: “Seek only him—Jayadratha—O noble one. What gain is there for you in having these warriors struck down? This deed seems to yield no true fruit; how do you yourself judge it, brother?”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Arjuna urges ethical and strategic restraint: violence should be directed toward a just and necessary objective, not wasted on killing those who are not the true focus. Action lacking meaningful purpose is ‘anāmiṣa’—without real fruit—and should be reconsidered.
In the pursuit of Jayadratha, Arjuna addresses his companion/brother-in-arms, advising him to concentrate on finding Jayadratha rather than cutting down other soldiers, since that slaughter brings no real gain toward their immediate aim.