Shloka 23
Jarāsandha-nipātana, rāja-mokṣa, and rājasūya-sāhāyya-prārthanā
Jarāsandha’s fall, liberation of kings, and request for support
मावमंस्था: परान् राजन्नस्ति वीर्य नरे नरे । सम॑ तेजस्त्वया चैव विशिष्ट वा नरेश्वर,जहि त्वं सदृशेष्वेव मान॑ दर्प च मागध । मा गम: ससुतामात्य: सबलश्न यमक्षयम् मगधराज! तुम अपने समान वीरोंके साथ अभिमान और घमंड करना छोड़ दो। इस घमंडको रखकर अपने पुत्र, मन्त्री और सेनाके साथ यमलोकमें जानेकी तैयारी न करो
māvamaṃsthāḥ parān rājann asti vīryaṃ nare nare | samaṃ tejas tvayā caiva viśiṣṭo vā nareśvara | jahi tvaṃ sadṛśeṣv eva mānaṃ darpaṃ ca māgadha | mā gamaḥ sasutāmātyaḥ sabalaś ca yamākṣayam ||
Wahai Raja, jangan meremehkan orang lain; pada setiap manusia ada keberanian. Cahaya kewibawaanmu pun sejenis—bahkan mungkin lebih unggul, wahai penguasa manusia. Maka, wahai Māgadha, buanglah kesombongan dan keangkuhan terhadap mereka yang setara denganmu. Jangan, karena terpaut pada congkak itu, bersiap menuju alam Yama bersama putra-putramu, para menteri, dan bala tentaramu.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should not belittle others or inflate himself with pride; valor exists in every person. Arrogance toward equals invites ruin, so ethical kingship requires humility, discernment, and restraint.
In the Sabha Parva episode surrounding Jarāsandha, Śrī Kṛṣṇa addresses the Māgadha king directly, warning him to abandon pride and not to rush toward death along with his sons, ministers, and army—an admonition that foreshadows the peril of his confrontational stance.