Shloka 17
कर्णपर्व — अध्याय ५९
Arjuna Breaks the Encirclement; Bhīma Reinforces
उपवासकृशो राजा भृशं भरतसत्तम: । ब्राह्मे बले स्थितो होष न क्षात्रे हि बले विभुः
upavāsa-kṛśo rājā bhṛśaṃ bharata-sattamaḥ | brāhme bale sthito hoṣa na kṣātre hi bale vibhuḥ ||
ಭರತಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠನಾದ ರಾಜ ಯುಧಿಷ್ಠಿರನು ಉಪವಾಸದಿಂದ ಬಹಳ ಕ್ಷೀಣನಾಗಿದ್ದಾನೆ. ಅವನು ಈಗ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಬಲ—ಸಂಯಮ ಮತ್ತು ತಪಸ್ಸಿನ ಶಕ್ತಿ—ದಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ಥಿತನಾಗಿದ್ದು, ಕ್ಷಾತ್ರಬಲವನ್ನು ಪ್ರದರ್ಶಿಸಲು ಸಮರ್ಥನಲ್ಲ.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts two kinds of power: brāhma-bala (restraint, spiritual discipline, moral authority) and kṣātra-bala (martial vigor and the capacity to fight). It suggests that excessive ascetic practice like fasting can diminish a king’s ability to perform kṣatriya-duty in war, raising an ethical tension between personal austerity and public responsibility.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra that Yudhiṣṭhira has become extremely weak due to fasting. Because of this, he is described as being in a brahmanical mode of strength rather than displaying the warrior’s strength needed on the battlefield.