Shloka 18
अकामो वा सकामो वा स समेष्यति ते वशे । विबुधो मन्त्रसंशान्तो भवेद् भृत्य इवानत:,वह देवता कामनारहित हो या कामनायुक्त, मन्त्रके प्रभावसे शान्तचित्त हो विनीत सेवककी भाँति तुम्हारे पास आकर तुम्हारे अधीन हो जायगा
akāmo vā sakāmo vā sa sameṣyati te vaśe | vibudho mantrasaṃśānto bhaved bhṛtya ivānataḥ ||
Whether he is free from desire or driven by desire, that celestial being will come to you and fall under your control. Pacified by the power of the mantra, he will become like a humble servant—bowed down and obedient—approaching you in submission. The verse underscores the ethical claim that disciplined sacred speech (mantra), when properly employed, can restrain even the powerful; yet it also hints at the moral responsibility of the practitioner, since such power can compel others beyond ordinary persuasion.
ब्राह्मण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that mantra, when correctly applied, can pacify and subdue even a powerful celestial being, regardless of whether that being is desireless or desire-driven. Implicitly, it highlights the ethical burden on the practitioner: spiritual power that compels obedience must be governed by dharma and restraint.
A brahmin speaker assures someone that by the efficacy of a mantra, a vibudha (celestial being) will approach and become obedient—like a bowed servant—coming under the listener’s control. The statement functions as a promise of ritual efficacy within the ongoing Vana Parva episode.