Shloka 243
युधिष्ठिरस्य कृष्णार्जुनादि-समाश्वासनम्
Yudhiṣṭhira’s reassurance and praise of Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna, Bhīma, and Sātyaki
तच्चाप्यवितथं तस्य तत् तथैव भविष्यति | “अत: अब तुम रणक्षेत्रमें धैर्य धारण करके प्रयत्नपूर्वक पाण्डवोंके साथ युद्ध करो। मैंने सुना है भीमसेन तुम्हारा भी खून पीयेंगे। भीमसेनकी वह प्रतिज्ञा झूठी नहीं है। वह उसी रूपमें सत्य होगी
taccāpy avitathaṃ tasya tat tathaiva bhaviṣyati | ataḥ adya tvaṃ raṇakṣetre dhairyaṃ dhārayitvā prayatnapūrvakaṃ pāṇḍavaiḥ saha yuddhaṃ kuru | śrutaṃ mayā bhīmasenas tava api śoṇitaṃ pāsyanti | bhīmasenasya sā pratijñā jhūṭhā na bhavati | sā tathaiva satyā bhaviṣyati ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Itu pun tidak akan terbukti palsu baginya; semuanya akan terjadi persis demikian. Karena itu, hari ini teguhkan keberanianmu di medan laga dan bertempurlah melawan para Pāṇḍava dengan segenap upaya. Aku telah mendengar bahwa Bhīmasena akan meminum darahmu juga. Sumpah Bhīmasena bukan dusta; ia akan menjadi nyata dalam bentuk yang sama.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage underscores the binding force of a warrior’s vow (pratijñā) and the demand for steadfast courage in battle. It also highlights the Mahābhārata’s tension between kṣatriya-duty (fighting with resolve) and the grim ethical cost of violence, where vows can drive actions toward terrifying, fated outcomes.
Sañjaya reports that Bhīma’s fierce pledge—drinking an enemy’s blood—will not be false and will be fulfilled exactly as declared. He urges the addressed warrior to hold courage on the battlefield and fight the Pāṇḍavas with full effort, even as the ominous fulfillment of Bhīma’s vow is foretold.