Shloka 24
Udyoga Parva, Adhyaya 104: Nārada on Suhṛt and Nirbandha; the Viśvāmitra–Gālava Exemplum Begins
न त्वेनं पीडयामास बलेन बलवत्तर: । ततो हि जीवितं तस्य न व्यनीनशदच्युत:,अत्यन्त बलशाली भगवान् अच्युतने गरुड़को बलपूर्वक दबाया नहीं था; इसीलिये उनके जीवनका नाश नहीं हुआ
na tvenaṁ pīḍayāmāsa balena balavattaraḥ | tato hi jīvitaṁ tasya na vyanīnaśad acyutaḥ ||
Dijo Kaṇva: «Sin embargo, el más poderoso no lo aplastó por la fuerza. Por eso su vida no fue destruida: Acyuta, el Señor infalible, no causó su muerte». El verso exalta el poder contenido: la verdadera fuerza se muestra al poder dañar y, aun así, elegir no hacerlo, preservando la vida y el dharma.
कण्व उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical restraint: even when one has superior strength, dharma may require not using force to crush an opponent. Preserving life through self-control is presented as a higher expression of power, associated here with Acyuta’s unfailing conduct.
Kaṇva describes a situation where a stronger figure could have destroyed another by sheer force but chose not to. As a result, the weaker person’s life was spared; this sparing is attributed to Acyuta, indicating divine or exemplary restraint rather than violent domination.