Shloka 27
Droṇotpattiḥ, Astralābhaḥ, Drupada-vairasya bījaṃ ca
The Birth of Droṇa, Acquisition of Weapons, and the Seed of Enmity with Drupada
क्षेममद्य करिष्यामि यथा वनमकण्टकम् | न पुनर्मनिषान् हत्वा भक्षयिष्यसि राक्षस,राक्षस! आज तुझे मारकर मैं इस वनको निष्कण्टक एवं मंगलमय बना दूँगा, जिससे फिर तू मनुष्योंको मारकर नहीं खा सकेगा
kṣemam adya kariṣyāmi yathā vanam akaṇṭakam | na punar manuṣyān hatvā bhakṣayiṣyasi rākṣasa rākṣasa ||
«Rākṣasa ! Aujourd’hui je te tuerai et je rendrai cette forêt sûre, sans épines et de bon augure, afin que jamais plus tu ne puisses massacrer les hommes et les dévorer.»
भीम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents protective action as dharma: force is justified when it removes a predatory threat and restores safety (kṣema) for innocent people, making the environment ‘thornless’ (akaṇṭaka) in the sense of free from danger.
Bhima addresses a man-eating rākṣasa and vows to kill him that very day, declaring that this will make the forest safe and prevent the demon from killing and eating humans again.