Shloka 18
Abhimanyu’s Śrāddha; Vyāsa’s Assurance of the Unborn Heir (अभिमन्योः श्राद्धं तथा गर्भरक्षणोपदेशः)
एको होकेन सतत युध्यमाने यदि प्रभो
eko hokena satata yudhyamāne yadi prabho
Waiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai tuan, bila seorang saja terus-menerus terlibat dalam pertempuran…,”—sebuah ujaran yang menegaskan ketegangan antara keberanian seorang diri dan tuntutan perang yang tak henti, yang harus ditimbang dalam tata dharma.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The line foregrounds a dharmic question: continuous fighting and solitary heroism are not automatically virtuous; they must be evaluated in light of rightful purpose, proportionality, and the broader moral order that governs warfare.
Vaiśaṃpāyana, as narrator, introduces or continues a conditional statement addressed to a ‘lord’ (prabho), setting up a discussion about a situation where a single warrior is constantly engaged in combat—likely as a prelude to judging conduct, outcome, or duty in that scenario.