Shloka 24
Adhyāya 17 — गजयुद्ध-वृत्तान्तः, सहदेव-दुःशासन-संघर्षः, नकुल-कर्ण-समागमः
Elephant-battle account; Sahadeva–Duhshasana clash; Nakula–Karna encounter
न चेदरक्षिष्य इमं जन॑ भयाद् द्विषद्धिरेवं बलिभि: प्रपीडितम् । तथा भविष्यद् विषतां प्रमोदनं यथा हतेष्वेष्विह नोडरिसूदन,'शत्रुसूदन! यदि आप बलवान शत्रुओंसे इस प्रकार पीड़ित हुए इन स्वजनोंकी भयसे रक्षा नहीं करते तो इन शत्रुओंको वैसी ही प्रसन्नता होती, जैसी इस समय इनके मारे जानेपर यहाँ हमलोगोंको हो रही है”
na ced arakṣiṣya imaṁ janaṁ bhayād dviṣadbhir evaṁ balibhiḥ prapīḍitam | tathā bhaviṣyad viṣatāṁ pramodanaṁ yathā hateṣv eṣv iha no ’darisūdana ||
“શત્રુસૂદન! જો તમે ભયથી આ સ્વજનોનું—જે બળવાન શત્રુઓ દ્વારા આ રીતે પીડિત હતા—રક્ષણ ન કર્યું હોત, તો શત્રુઓને પણ એવો જ આનંદ થાત, જેવો અત્યારે અહીં તેમના મરવાથી અમને થઈ રહ્યો છે.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts fear-driven inaction with the kṣatriya obligation to protect one’s people. It implies that failing to defend the oppressed empowers the wicked and grants them the very joy that rightful defenders later experience upon overcoming aggressors—highlighting responsibility, courage, and the moral stakes of protection.
Sañjaya, reporting the battlefield events to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, addresses an 'enemy-slayer' and argues that if he had not protected his own people when they were being crushed by strong foes, the enemies would have celebrated; instead, with the foes now slain, the defenders experience that satisfaction.