Shloka 25
भीष्मवधोपाय-प्रश्नः (Inquiry into the means to overcome Bhīṣma) | Chapter 103
स गत्वा त्वरितं वीरं॑ जहि सौभद्रमाहवे
sa gatvā tvaritaṃ vīraṃ jahi saubhadram āhave
Sañjaya said: “Having gone there swiftly, O hero, strike down Saubhadra in the battle.” The line conveys the ruthless urgency of war-counsel, where tactical advantage is pursued even against a renowned and valiant opponent, raising the ethical tension between kṣatriya duty and the excesses of battlefield expediency.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the moral strain inherent in war: commands framed as ‘duty’ can become ethically troubling when they reduce a noble opponent to a mere target. It invites reflection on how dharma in battle can be invoked to justify harsh expediency.
Sañjaya reports a battlefield instruction urging a warrior to move quickly and kill Saubhadra (Abhimanyu) in combat, emphasizing urgency and lethal intent within the Kurukṣetra war’s unfolding tactics.