Shloka 17
कृपोपदेशः — द्रौणेरनिद्रा च
Kṛpa’s Counsel and Drauṇi’s Sleepless Resolve
मया त्वां सहितं संख्ये गुप्तं च कृतवर्मणा । न सहेत विभु: साक्षाद् वज़पाणिरपि स्वयम्
mayā tvāṁ sahitaṁ saṅkhye guptaṁ ca kṛtavarmaṇā | na saheta vibhuḥ sākṣād vajrapāṇir api svayam ||
Kṛpa dit : «Si, dans la bataille, tu te tiens à mes côtés et que Kṛtavarman est placé pour te garder, alors même Indra en personne—le puissant seigneur, le foudre à la main—ne pourrait soutenir ton assaut».
कृप उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the martial ideal of confidence grounded in comradeship and protection: strength is amplified by loyal allies. Ethically, it also shows how war-speech can escalate through hyperbolic comparisons—even invoking Indra—to embolden action.
In the Sauptika Parva’s tense aftermath of the war, Kṛpa addresses his companion, asserting that if they fight together and Kṛtavarman guards him, the opponent’s force would be irresistible—so great that even Indra with the vajra could not withstand it.