Shloka 23
Chapter 15: Counsel on Initiative vs. Renunciation in the Rajasuya Project (सभापर्व, अध्याय १५)
क्षत्रिय: शस्त्रमरणो यदा भवति सत्कृत: । ततः सम मागधं संख्ये प्रतिबाधेम यद् वयम्,क्षत्रिय जब युद्धमें अस्त्र-शस्त्रोंद्वारा मारा जाता है, तब यह उसका सत्कार है; अतः हमलोग जरासंधको द्वन्द-युद्धमें मार डालें
kṣatriyaḥ śastramaraṇo yadā bhavati satkṛtaḥ | tataḥ saṃ māgadhaṃ saṅkhye pratibādhema yad vayam ||
ക്ഷത്രിയൻ യുദ്ധത്തിൽ ആയുധങ്ങളാൽ മരിക്കുമ്പോൾ അതുതന്നെയാണ് അവനുള്ള സത്കാരം. അതിനാൽ നാം യുദ്ധഭൂമിയിൽ ഏകയുദ്ധത്തിൽ മഗധരാജൻ (ജരാസന്ധൻ)നെ നേരിട്ട് വീഴ്ത്താം.
कृष्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Kṛṣṇa frames a warrior’s death by weapons in rightful battle as an honour (satkāra), expressing the Mahābhārata’s kṣatriya-dharma ideal that courage and acceptance of battle-death, when aligned with duty, is not disgrace but esteem.
Kṛṣṇa urges his side to engage the Magadhan ruler Jarāsandha directly in battlefield single combat, arguing that such a confrontation accords with warrior ethics and that defeating him in a duel is the appropriate course.