Shloka 35

देवसत्रे मृत्युनिरोधः, पूर्वेन्द्राणां मानुषावतरणम्, द्रौपदी-वरकथनम्

Suspension of Death at the Devasatra; Former Indras’ Human Descent; Draupadī’s Boon Etiology

Devanagari script

वीराद्‌ दुर्योधनाद्‌ वान्य: शक्तः पातयितुं रणे । क्रियतामवहारो<स्माद्‌ युद्धाद्‌ ब्राह्मणसंवृतात्‌,“बलवानोंमें श्रेष्ठ मद्रराज शल्यको भी वीरवर बलदेव, पाण्डुनन्दन भीमसेन अथवा वीर दुर्योधनको छोड़कर दूसरा कौन रणभूमिमें गिरा सकता है। अतः ब्राह्मणोंसे घिरे हुए इस युद्धक्षेत्रसे हमलोगोंको हट जाना चाहिये

Transliteration

vīrād duryodhanād vānyaḥ śaktaḥ pātayituṃ raṇe | kriyatām avahāro 'smād yuddhād brāhmaṇasaṃvṛtāt ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “Other than the heroic Duryodhana, who else has the strength to strike down (such a warrior) in battle? Therefore, let a withdrawal be made from this battlefield, which is surrounded by brāhmaṇas.”

Word by Word

• {'vīrāt': 'from the hero

• than the heroic one (ablative sense in comparison)', 'duryodhanāt': 'from/than Duryodhana', 'vā': 'or', 'anyaḥ': 'another

• anyone else', 'śaktaḥ': 'able

• capable', 'pātayitum': 'to cause to fall

• to strike down', 'raṇe': 'in battle', 'kriyatām': 'let it be done

• should be undertaken (passive imperative)', 'avahāraḥ': 'withdrawal

• retreat', 'asmāt': 'from this', 'yuddhāt': 'from the battle', 'brāhmaṇa-saṃvṛtāt': 'enclosed/surrounded by brāhmaṇas'}

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśaṃpāyana
• Duryodhana
• raṇa (battlefield)
• yuddha (battle)
• brāhmaṇas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even amid warfare, dharma imposes limits: when brāhmaṇas are present around the combat zone, restraint and withdrawal are urged, emphasizing reverence for noncombatants and the sanctity associated with brāhmaṇas.

What is happening in the narrative?

The narrator frames the situation as one where only a foremost hero like Duryodhana could realistically bring down the opponent in battle, and on that basis recommends pulling back from a battlefield encircled by brāhmaṇas.