Shloka 143
Śalya Appointed as Karṇa’s Sārathi; Discourse on Praise, Blame, and Beneficial Counsel (कर्णस्य शल्यसारथ्यं तथा स्तवनिन्दाविचारः)
अवध्यं ब्राह्मण मन्ये येन ते विक्रमो हतः । 'जैसे कोई शक्तिशाली पुरुष समुद्रसे नदीके वेगको पीछे लौटा दे, उसी प्रकार मैं आपके इस रथको तुरंत लौटा ले चलूँगा। मेरी समझमें ये ब्राह्मण देवता अवध्य हैं, जिनसे आज आपका पराक्रम प्रतिहत हो गया”
avadhyaṃ brāhmaṇa manye yena te vikramo hataḥ | yathā kaścid balavān puruṣaḥ samudrāt nadī-vegaṃ pratihanyāt, tathāham etad rathaṃ te kṣaṇād eva nivartya neṣyāmi | mama mate brāhmaṇā devatā avadhyāḥ, yaiḥ adya tava parākramaḥ pratihataḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Aku menganggap brāhmaṇa itu tak tersentuh—dialah yang telah menahan kegagahanmu. Seperti seorang kuat yang mampu membalikkan derasnya arus sungai dari lautan, demikian pula akan segera kupalingkan keretamu ini dan kubawa kembali. Dalam penilaianku, para brāhmaṇa bersifat ilahi dan tak patut dibunuh; oleh merekalah hari ini keberanianmu tertahan.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores a dharmic restraint within warfare: brāhmaṇas are regarded as sacrosanct and ‘avadhya’ (not to be slain). Even amid battle, ethical boundaries remain, and violating them is portrayed as spiritually and socially catastrophic.
Sañjaya comments that a brāhmaṇa’s intervention has checked the warrior’s momentum. Using a simile of reversing a river’s surge, he declares he will immediately turn the chariot back, emphasizing that brāhmaṇas are divine and not legitimate targets, and that this is why the hero’s advance has been obstructed.