Shloka 10
Adhyāya 160: Arjuna’s Envoy-Message—Critique of Borrowed Valor and Pre-dawn Mobilization
अशक्तेन च यच्छप्तं भीमसेनेन पाण्डव । दुःशासनस्य रुधिरं पीयतां यदि शक््यते,पाए्डुपुत्र! तुम्हारे भाई भीमसेनने उस समय कुछ करनेमें असमर्थ होनेके कारण जो दुर्ववन कहा था, उसे याद करके वे आवें और यदि शक्ति हो, तो दुःशासनका रक्त पीयें
aśaktena ca yacchaptaṃ bhīmasenena pāṇḍava | duḥśāsanasya rudhiraṃ pīyatāṃ yadi śakyate ||
Ulūka dijo: «¡Oh Pāṇḍava! Recuerda el feroz voto que Bhīmasena pronunció cuando era impotente para actuar. Que venga ahora; y si de veras tiene fuerza, ¡que beba la sangre de Duḥśāsana!»
उलूक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse illustrates how vows and remembered humiliation can be weaponized as provocation. Ethically, it highlights the danger of letting rage and retaliatory oaths drive conduct, pushing conflict toward extreme violence rather than restraint and dharmic resolution.
Ulūka, speaking for the Kaurava side, taunts the Pāṇḍavas by invoking Bhīma’s earlier vow connected with Duḥśāsana. The aim is to challenge Bhīma’s honor and incite immediate, ruthless action, escalating the atmosphere toward inevitable war.