Shloka 16
Duryodhana-vadha-pratikriyā: Harṣa, Nindā, and Kṛṣṇa’s Nīti-vyākhyā (Śalya-parva 60)
स्वका: पितृष्वसुः पुत्रास्ते परैर्निकृता भृूशम् । 'शुद्ध पुरुषार्थका आश्रय लेनेवाले पाण्डव हमारे सहज मित्र हैं। बुआके पुत्र होनेके कारण सर्वथा अपने हैं। शत्रुओंने इनके साथ बहुत छल-कपट किया था ।। प्रतिज्ञापालनं धर्म: क्षत्रियस्येह वेद्म्यहम्,“मैं समझता हूँ कि इस जगत्में अपनी प्रतिज्ञाका पालन करना क्षत्रियके लिये धर्म ही है। पहले सभामें भीमसेनने यह प्रतिज्ञा की थी कि “मैं महायुद्धमें अपनी गदासे दुर्योधनकी दोनों जाँघें तोड़ डालूँगा”
sañjaya uvāca | svakāḥ pitṛṣvasuḥ putrās te parair nikṛtā bhṛśam | śuddha-puruṣārthakā āśraya-lenevāle pāṇḍav asmāre sahaja-mitrāḥ | buāke putra honeke kāraṇa sarvathā apane haiṃ | śatrubhiḥ eṣāṃ saha bahu chala-kapaṭaṃ kṛtam | pratijñā-pālanaṃ dharmaḥ kṣatriyasyeha vedmy aham | pūrvaṃ sabhāyāṃ bhīmasenena pratijñā kṛtā yathā—“ahaṃ mahāyuddhe svagadayā duryodhanasya ubhe jaṅghe bhaṅkṣyāmi” ||
Sanjaya said: “Those sons of our paternal aunt are truly our own; yet they have been grievously wronged by their enemies. The Pandavas, who take refuge in pure manly effort, are our natural friends—indeed, because they are our aunt’s sons, they belong wholly to us. The foes dealt with them through much deceit and treachery. I understand that, in this world, keeping one’s vow is the very dharma of a kshatriya. Earlier, in the royal assembly, Bhimasena had made this pledge: ‘In the great war, with my mace I will break both thighs of Duryodhana.’”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage frames vow-keeping (pratijñā-pālana) as a central kshatriya-dharma: a warrior’s ethical identity is tied to steadfastly fulfilling publicly made commitments, especially in the context of restoring justice after deceit.
Sanjaya emphasizes the Pandavas’ close kinship and the wrongs done to them through treachery, then recalls Bhima’s earlier court vow to break Duryodhana’s thighs with his mace—foreshadowing and morally justifying the impending climactic mace-fight outcome.