Shloka 13
Nakula–Śakuni Duel and the Night Battle; Śikhaṇḍin–Kṛpa Engagement (नकुल-शकुनियुद्धं तथा रात्रियुद्धवर्णनम्)
मच्चक्षुविंषयं प्राप्तो न त्वं माधव मोक्ष्यसे । सिंहस्य विषयं प्राप्तो यथा क्षुद्रमृगस्तथा,“माधव! जैसे कोई क्षुद्र मृग सिंहकी दृष्टिमें पड़कर जीवित नहीं रह सकता, उसी प्रकार मेरी आँखोंके सामने आकर अब तुम जीवित नहीं छूट सकोगे'
maccakṣu-viṣayaṁ prāpto na tvaṁ mādhava mokṣyase | siṁhasya viṣayaṁ prāpto yathā kṣudra-mṛgas tathā ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai Mādhava! Kini engkau telah masuk dalam jangkauan pandanganku; engkau takkan lolos hidup-hidup. Seperti rusa kecil yang jatuh dalam bidikan mata singa tak mungkin selamat, demikian pula engkau.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse illustrates how, in war, arrogance and the predator-prey mentality can override ethical restraint: the speaker frames killing as inevitable once the opponent is ‘within range,’ revealing the moral danger of pride and dehumanizing comparison.
A warrior issues a direct threat to “Mādhava,” declaring that since he has come into his line of sight he will not escape, using the simile of a small deer caught in a lion’s gaze to emphasize presumed certainty of victory.