Shloka 41
Saṃśaptakas in Candrārdha-vyūha; Arjuna’s Devadatta and the Traigarta Rout
Chapter 17
नैतच्छक्नोमि संसोदुमाद्दानं पुरुषर्षभ । सत्यं ते प्रतिजानामि हतान् विद्धि परान् युधि,'पुरुषप्रवर! मैं शत्रुओंकी यह ललकार नहीं सह सकता। आपसे सच्ची प्रतिज्ञापूर्वक कहता हूँ कि इन शत्रुओंको युद्धमें मारा गया ही समझिये”
naitacchaknomi saṁsodhum āddānaṁ puruṣarṣabha | satyaṁ te pratijānāmi hatān viddhi parān yudhi ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai yang terbaik di antara manusia, aku tak sanggup menahan tantangan yang lancang ini. Dengan kebenaran aku bersumpah kepadamu—ketahuilah, para musuh ini sudah seperti terbunuh dalam pertempuran.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the warrior ethic of not tolerating humiliating provocation and the moral weight of a truthful vow (satya-pratijñā): speech becomes an ethical commitment that demands action.
Sanjaya reports a moment of heightened battle tension: a hero addressed as “puruṣarṣabha” declares he cannot bear the enemy’s challenge and makes a solemn promise that the foes should be regarded as already slain in the coming fight.