Shloka 38
उलूकदूतवाक्यम् / Ulūka’s Message to the Pāṇḍavas
द्वावेव तु महाराज तस्माद् युद्धादपेयतु: । रौहिणेयश्व॒ वार्ष्णेयो रुक्मी च वसुधाधिप:,महाराज! उस युद्धसे दो ही वीर अलग हो गये थे--एक तो वृष्णिवंशी रोहिणीनन्दन बलराम और दूसरा राजा रुक्मी
dvāv eva tu mahārāja tasmād yuddhād apeyatuḥ | rauhiṇeyaś ca vārṣṇeyo rukmī ca vasudhādhipaḥ ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana dit : «Ô grand roi, seuls deux guerriers se retirèrent de cette bataille : Balarāma —fils de Rohiṇī, de la lignée des Vṛṣṇi— et Rukmī, seigneur de la terre.»
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores ethical agency in warfare: even renowned kṣatriyas may withdraw when participation no longer seems aligned with their sense of right conduct, purpose, or propriety.
Vaiśaṃpāyana reports that, from the battle being described, only two notable figures separated themselves and departed—Balarāma (identified by lineage epithets) and King Rukmī.