Shloka 14
Chapter 59: Baladeva’s Censure, Keśava’s Restraint, and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Moral Accounting
तव पुत्र तथा हत्वा कत्थमानं वृकोदरम् । नृत्यमानं च बहुशो धर्मराजो<ब्रवीदिदम्,आपके पुत्रको मारकर बहुत बढ़-बढ़कर बातें बनाते और बारंबार नाचते-कूदते हुए भीमसेनसे धर्मराज युधिष्ठिरने इस प्रकार कहा--
tava putraṃ tathā hatvā katthamānaṃ vṛkodaram | nṛtyamānaṃ ca bahuśo dharmarājo 'bravīd idam ||
Sañjaya said: After slaying your son, Bhīma—proudly boasting and repeatedly dancing in exultation—was addressed thus by King Yudhiṣṭhira, the upholder of dharma. The moment frames a moral tension: even in a righteous war, triumph expressed as gloating over the fallen is ethically troubling, and Yudhiṣṭhira’s response signals restraint and accountability in victory.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights that dharma is not only about winning a just cause but also about the manner of victory. Exulting, boasting, or humiliating the defeated—especially after death—can violate the ethical restraint expected of the righteous, prompting Yudhiṣṭhira to correct Bhīma’s conduct.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Bhīma has killed Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son (contextually Duryodhana) and is celebrating with boastful words and repeated dancing. At that point Yudhiṣṭhira speaks to Bhīma, setting up a moral admonition about proper behavior after a killing in war.