Shloka 13
अश्वमेधीयस्य हयस्य दक्षिणापश्चिमगमनम् — The Sacrificial Horse’s Southern and Western Circuit
त॑ दृष्टवा विस्मयं जम्मुर्गान्धारा: सर्व एव ते । इच्छता तेन न हतो राजेत्यसि च त॑ विदु:
taṁ dṛṣṭvā vismayaṁ jagmur gāndhārāḥ sarva eva te | icchatā tena na hato rājety asi ca taṁ viduḥ ||
À cette vue, tous les Gāndhāra furent saisis d’étonnement. Ils comprirent que le roi n’avait pas été tué parce qu’Arjuna avait délibérément choisi de l’épargner.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights intentional restraint as a moral choice: sparing an enemy can be recognized as deliberate compassion and self-control, not weakness, aligning power with dharma.
The Gandhāras witness that their king remains alive and are amazed; they conclude that Arjuna consciously chose not to kill him.