अध्याय १ — न्यग्रोधवनोपवेशनम् तथा द्रौणिनिश्चयः
Night at the Banyan and Drauṇi’s Resolve
पतड्डग्निसमां वृत्तिमास्थायात्मविनाशिनीम् । न्यायतो युध्यमानस्य प्राणत्यागो न संशय:
pataṅgāgnisamāṁ vṛttim āsthāyātmavināśinīm | nyāyato yudhyamānasya prāṇatyāgo na saṁśayaḥ ||
ເມື່ອຂ້າຍຶດເອົາແນວທາງດັ່ງແມງມອດພຸ້ນເຂົ້າໄຟ—ແນວທາງທີ່ນໍາໄປສູ່ການພິນາດຂອງຕົນ—ບໍ່ມີຂໍ້ສົງໄສ: ຖ້າຂ້າສູ້ຕາມຄວາມຍຸດຕິທໍາ ແລະກົດເກນສົງຄາມ ຂ້າຈະຕ້ອງສະຫລະຊີວິດ.
संजय उवाच
The verse highlights the ethical tension between a destructive resolve and righteous conduct: choosing to fight by nyāya (justice and proper rules) may demand the ultimate personal cost, yet it is presented as morally certain and binding.
A speaker reflects that the path he has taken is like a moth rushing into fire—self-ruinous—and concludes that if he adheres to fair, rule-bound combat, his death is inevitable.