Shloka 4
Adhyāya 60: Dāna vs. Yajña—Royal Giving, Protection, and Karmic Share
वयं हि तान् कुरून् हत्वा ज्ञातींश्व सुहददोडपि वा । अवाकु्शीर्षा: पतिष्यामो नरके नात्र संशय:
vayaṁ hi tān kurūn hatvā jñātīnś ca suhṛdo 'pi vā | avāk-śīrṣāḥ patiṣyāmo narake nātra saṁśayaḥ ||
ನಮ್ಮದೇ ಕುರುಗಳನ್ನು—ಸ್ವಜನರನ್ನೂ ಸುಹೃದರನ್ನೂ—ಹತ್ಯೆ ಮಾಡಿದರೆ, ನಿಶ್ಚಯವಾಗಿ ನಾವು ತಲೆಕೆಳಗಾಗಿ ನರಕಕ್ಕೆ ಬೀಳುವೆವು; ಇದರಲ್ಲಿ ಸಂಶಯವಿಲ್ಲ।
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the dharmic fear that violence against one’s own relatives and benefactors is morally ruinous; even a ‘just’ objective can become tainted when achieved through kin-slaying, leading to grave karmic consequences.
Yudhiṣṭhira expresses remorse and apprehension: contemplating the killing of the Kurus—his own family and allies—he concludes that such an act would inevitably bring downfall into hell, underscoring his inner conflict about war and righteousness.