Shloka 19
कुम्भकर्णवधः — Kumbhakarṇa’s Fall and the Renewal of the Engagement
सदा मनस्वी क्षत्रधर्मे रतश्न कुन्त्या: प्राणैरिष्टतमो नृवीर: । मेरे पति सहदेव शूरवीर, सदा ईर्ष्यारहित, बुद्धिमान् और दिद्वान् हैं। ये अपने प्राण छोड़ सकते हैं, प्रजजलित आगमें प्रवेश कर सकते हैं, परंतु धर्मके विरुद्ध कोई बात नहीं बोल सकते। नरवीर सहदेव सदा क्षत्रियधर्मके पालनमें तत्पर रहनेवाले और मनस्वी हैं। आर्या कुन्तीको ये प्राणोंसे भी बढ़कर प्रिय हैं ।। १८ ई ।। विशीर्यन्ती नावमिवार्णवान्ते रत्नाभिपूर्णा मकरस्य पृष्ठे
vaiśampāyana uvāca | sadā manasvī kṣatradharme rataś ca kuntyāḥ prāṇair iṣṭatamo nṛvīraḥ |
Vaiśampāyana said: “That heroic man, ever high-minded and steadfastly devoted to the kṣatriya code, is dearer to Kuntī than life itself. He would sooner give up his very breath or enter a blazing fire than utter a single word opposed to dharma.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dharma is presented as non-negotiable: a truly noble person values righteous speech and conduct above survival itself, even accepting death or extreme suffering rather than violating dharma.
The narrator Vaiśampāyana characterizes a heroic figure as unwavering in kṣatriya duty and exceptionally dear to Kuntī, emphasizing his moral firmness—he would die or face fire rather than speak against dharma.