Shloka 19
Duryodhana-vadha-pratikriyā: Harṣa, Nindā, and Kṛṣṇa’s Nīti-vyākhyā (Śalya-parva 60)
'शत्रुओंको संताप देनेवाले बलरामजी! महर्षि मैत्रेयने भी दुर्योधनको पहलेसे ही यह शाप दे रखा था कि “भीमसेन अपनी गदासे तेरी दोनों जाँघें तोड़ डालेंगे” ।।
śatrūṇāṃ santāpa-dena-vāle balarāma-jī! maharṣi-maitreyeṇa api duryodhanaṃ pūrvaṃ eva ayaṃ śāpaḥ dattaḥ—“bhīmasenaḥ sva-gadayā tava ubhe jaṅghe bhaṅkṣyati” iti. ato doṣaṃ na paśyāmi; mā kruddhyasva pralambahān. yaḥ naḥ svaiḥ sukhahārdyaiḥ sambandhaḥ saha pāṇḍavaiḥ.
Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai Balarāma, pembawa derita bagi musuh! Maharsi Maitreya telah lebih dahulu menjatuhkan kutuk kepada Duryodhana: ‘Bhīmasena akan menghancurkan kedua pahamu dengan gadanya.’ Karena itu aku tidak melihat kesalahan di sini—jangan murka, wahai pembunuh Pralamba. Sebab melalui ikatan kasih dan kebahagiaan yang kita bagi, kita pun memiliki hubungan dengan para Pāṇḍava.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a violent outcome as morally and causally grounded: when a deed is foretold as the fruit of prior wrongdoing (a sage’s curse), one should restrain reactive anger and recognize the larger ethical chain of cause and consequence.
Sañjaya addresses Balarāma, urging him not to be enraged at the impending/occurring breaking of Duryodhana’s thighs by Bhīma’s mace, because Sage Maitreya had already cursed Duryodhana with exactly this fate; Sañjaya also reminds him of their affectionate ties with the Pāṇḍavas.