Shloka 9
*वृष्णिकुलकलंक सात्वत! मैं अपने दोनों पुत्रोंकी तथा यज्ञ और पुण्यकर्मोकी शपथ खाकर कहता हूँ कि यदि आज रात्रि बीतनेके पहले ही कुन्तीपुत्र अर्जुनसे अरक्षित रहनेपर अपनेको वीर माननेवाले तुम्हें पुत्रों और भाइयोंसहित न मार डालूँ तो घोर नरकमें पड़ूँ ।। एवमुक््त्वा सुसंक्रुद्ध: सोमदत्तो महाबल: । दध्मौ शड़्खं च तारेण सिंहनादं ननाद च,ऐसा कहकर महाबली सोमदत्तने अत्यन्त कुपित हो उच्चस्वरसे शंख बजाया और सिंहनाद किया
sañjaya uvāca | vṛṣṇikulakalaṅka sātvata! ahaṃ svayoḥ putrayoś ca yajñasya puṇyakarmāṇāṃ ca śapathaṃ kṛtvā bravīmi—yadi adya rātriṃ vyatīte pūrvaṃ kuntīputram arjunam arakṣitaṃ labdhvā, ātmānaṃ vīraṃ manyamānān yūyaṃ putra-bhrātṛ-sahitān na nihaniṣyāmi, tarhi ghora-narake patiṣyāmi || evam uktvā susaṃkruddhaḥ somadatto mahābalaḥ | dadhmau śaṅkhaṃ ca tāreṇa siṃhanādaṃ nanāda ca ||
Sañjaya said: “O Sātvata, disgrace to the Vṛṣṇi line! I swear by my two sons, and by sacrifice and meritorious rites: if, before this very night has passed, I do not slay you—who call yourselves heroes—together with your sons and brothers, once I find Kuntī’s son Arjuna unprotected, then may I fall into dreadful hell.” Having spoken thus, the mighty Somadatta, inflamed with anger, blew his conch loudly and roared a lion-like battle cry.
सयजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of vows in the kṣatriya code: a warrior binds himself by oaths sworn on sacred acts (yajña, puṇya) and accepts severe moral consequence (naraka) if he fails. It also shows how anger and honor-language can intensify violence and escalate conflict.
Somadatta, furious, publicly swears that he will kill the addressed Sātvata warrior(s) along with their kin once he finds Arjuna unguarded before night ends. After making this threat, he signals battle by loudly blowing his conch and giving a lion-like roar.