Mahabharata — Virata Parva, Shloka 28
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 22 — Draupadī’s Abduction Attempt and Bhīma’s Suppression of the Kīcakas
दर्पाच्च सूतपुत्रो$सौ गन्धर्वानवमन्यते । त॑ंत्वं प्रहरतां श्रेष्ठ हृदान्नागमिवोद्धर
darpāc ca sūtaputro 'sau gandharvān avamanyate | taṃ tvaṃ praharatāṃ śreṣṭha hṛdān nāgam ivoddhara ||
Vaiśampāyana dit : « Aveuglé par l’orgueil, ce fils de cocher méprise les Gandharva. C’est pourquoi, ô le meilleur des frappeurs, tire-le hors du lac comme un serpent et rejette-le hors de ce monde. »
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Arrogance that belittles worthy opponents invites downfall; contempt (avamāna) clouds judgment and leads to disgrace and harm, whereas humility and discernment are protective virtues in dharmic conduct.
The narrator reports a command directed to a foremost fighter: because the ‘sūtaputra’ is proudly insulting the Gandharvas, he is to be forcibly dragged out from a lake—likened to pulling out a serpent—implying decisive defeat and expulsion (even death) as the consequence of his overconfidence.