Shloka 14
प्राग्ज्योतिषे वज्रदत्त-धनंजय-समागमः
Vajradatta Confronts Dhanaṃjaya at Prāgjyotiṣa
केतुवर्मा तु तेजस्वी तस्यैवावरजो युवा । युयुधे भ्रातुरर्थाय पाण्डवेन यशस्विना
ketuvarmā tu tejasvī tasyaivāvarajo yuvā | yuyudhe bhrātur arthāya pāṇḍavena yaśasvinā ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : Ketuvarmā, jeune guerrier au rayonnement éclatant et cadet de cet homme même, engagea le combat contre l’illustre Pāṇḍava (Arjuna), combattant pour la cause de son frère—en quête de vengeance après la défaite de celui-ci.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a common kṣatriya ethic: loyalty to kin and the pursuit of honor through combat. It also implicitly raises the dharmic tension between personal vengeance (bhrātur arthāya) and the wider moral order, showing how battlefield duties often intertwine with familial obligation.
After the defeat of his brother (as indicated by the contextual note), Ketuvarmā—his younger brother—steps forward and begins fighting the renowned Pāṇḍava hero Arjuna, motivated by the desire to act for his brother’s cause and to retaliate.