Shloka 13
द्रोणेन दुर्योधनस्य कवचबन्धनम् — Drona’s Mantra-Bound Armor for Duryodhana
तथेत्युक्त्वा पृथुर्वैन्यो गृहीत्वा55जगवं धनु: । शरांक्षाप्रतिमान् घोरांश्चिन्तयित्वाब्रवीन्महीम्,“बहुत अच्छा” ऐसा ही होगा, यह कहकर वेनकुमार पृथुने अपना आजगव नामक धनुष और जिनकी कहीं तुलना नहीं थी, ऐसे भयंकर बाण हाथमें ले लिये और कुछ सोचकर पृथ्वीसे कहा--
tathety uktvā pṛthur vainyo gṛhītvā ājagavaṃ dhanuḥ | śarān kṣāpratimān ghorāṃś cintayitvābravīn mahīm ||
“So be it,” said Pṛthu, son of Vena. Taking up the bow named Ājagava and grasping terrible arrows without equal, he reflected for a moment and then addressed the Earth—signaling a ruler’s readiness to enforce order when persuasion has been exhausted, yet only after deliberate thought.
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights rājadharma: a ruler may employ force to uphold order, but only after reflection and with a sense of responsibility—power is to be guided by deliberation, not impulse.
Pṛthu agrees (“so be it”), takes up his famed bow Ājagava and fearsome, incomparable arrows, pauses to consider, and then begins to address the personified Earth, indicating an impending act of governance or correction.