Shloka 27
शकुनेः पुत्रेण सह आश्वमेधाश्वविषयः संघर्षः — Arjuna’s restrained engagement with Śakuni’s son during the horse-escort
वैशम्पायन उवाच तस्मिन् यज्ञे प्रवृत्ते तु वाग्मिनो हेतुवादिन: । हेतुवादान् बहूनाहु: परस्परजिगीषव:,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--राजन्! वह यज्ञ आरम्भ होनेपर बहुत-से प्रवचनकुशल और युक्तिवादी विद्वान, जो एक-दूसरेको जीतनेकी इच्छा रखते थे, वहाँ अनेक प्रकारसे तर्ककी बातें करने लगे
vaiśampāyana uvāca
tasmin yajñe pravṛtte tu vāgmino hetuvādinaḥ |
hetuvādān bahūn āhuḥ parasparajigīṣavaḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O King, when that sacrifice had begun, many eloquent scholars—fond of disputation and eager to outdo one another—started advancing numerous arguments and counter-arguments there.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how learning and eloquence can be driven either by the pursuit of truth or by the desire to win. It implicitly cautions that debate in sacred contexts should serve dharma and understanding, not mere victory.
As the sacrifice begins, a gathering of skilled speakers and logicians starts engaging in extensive disputation, each trying to defeat the others through reasoned argument.