Shloka 27
Adhyaya 60: Self-Assertion, Daiva, and the Rhetoric of Inevitability (उद्योग पर्व)
परा बुद्धि: परं तेजो वीर्य च परमं मम । परा विद्या पते योगो मम तेभ्यो विशिष्यते
parā buddhiḥ paraṃ tejo vīryaṃ ca paramaṃ mama | parā vidyā pate yogo mama tebhyo viśiṣyate ||
Waiśampāyana berkata: “Akal budiku lebih unggul, sinarku paling luhur, dan keberanianku yang terdepan. Ilmuku lebih tinggi, dan tekad serta upayaku tiada banding; dalam semua hal ini aku melampaui mereka.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how self-evaluation based on intellect, splendor, valor, learning, and effort can become a form of pride. In the Mahābhārata’s ethical lens, such pride often clouds discernment and pushes one toward adharma, whereas true excellence is meant to be guided by humility, restraint, and righteous purpose.
In Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations and rising tensions, a speaker (reported by Vaiśampāyana) asserts personal superiority over the opposing side (the Pāṇḍavas), listing qualities like intellect, radiance, valor, learning, and determined effort as grounds for dominance—reflecting the hardening stance that drives the conflict toward war.