Shloka 26
Bhīmasena’s Counsel on Grief, Inner Conflict, and the Duty of Kingship (भीमसेन-उपदेशः)
तस्मिन्ननिर्जिते युद्धे कामवस्थां गमिष्यसि । एतज्जित्वा महाराज कृतकृत्यो भविष्यसि
tasminn anirjite yuddhe kāmāvasthāṁ gamiṣyasi | etaj jitvā mahārāja kṛtakṛtyo bhaviṣyasi ||
તે યુદ્ધમાં જો તું (અંતઃશત્રુને) ન જીતે, તો તું કામવશતાની સ્થિતિમાં પહોંચી જશે. પરંતુ, હે મહારાજ, આને જીતીને તું કૃતકૃત્ય બનશે.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that the decisive victory is inner: if a ruler fails to subdue desire (kāma) and the mind’s impulses, he becomes enslaved by them; conquering them makes him truly ‘kṛtakṛtya’—one who has accomplished what is essential for righteous life and rule.
Vaiśampāyana, narrating the discourse of Śānti Parva, addresses a king with counsel: the ‘battle’ is framed as a moral struggle, warning that failure to conquer the inner enemy leads to degeneration into desire-driven conduct, while inner conquest establishes fitness for dharmic governance.