Mahabharata 11.9.21 — Stree Parva, Adhyaya 9, Shloka 21
स्त्रीपर्व — नवमोऽध्यायः | Dhṛtarāṣṭra summons the Kuru women; the city departs in collective lamentation
एवं राजंस्तवाचक्षे स्वर्ग्य पन््थानमुत्तमम् । न युद्धादधिकं किंचित् क्षत्रियस्येह विद्यते
evaṁ rājan tava ācakṣe svargyaṁ panthānam uttamam | na yuddhād adhikaṁ kiñcit kṣatriyasyeha vidyate ||
ವೈಶಂಪಾಯನನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಓ ರಾಜನೇ! ಸ್ವರ್ಗಪ್ರಾಪ್ತಿಗೆ ದಾರಿ ತೋರಿಸುವ ಅತ್ಯುತ್ತಮ ಮಾರ್ಗವನ್ನು ನಿನಗೆ ನಾನು ತಿಳಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ. ಈ ಲೋಕದಲ್ಲಿ ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯನಿಗೆ ಯುದ್ಧಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠವಾದ ಸ್ವರ್ಗಸಾಧನ ಮತ್ತೊಂದಿಲ್ಲ.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts a dharma-based ethic: for a kṣatriya, righteous battle undertaken as duty is presented as the foremost ‘svargya’ (heaven-leading) path, implying that fulfilling one’s ordained role can be spiritually consequential.
Vaiśampāyana addresses the King and frames an instruction about the highest means to attain heaven for a warrior-ruler, emphasizing that nothing surpasses battle for a kṣatriya within the worldly order being discussed.
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