Shloka 78
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
संमुखेन प्रयुध्यंते न च गच्छंति कातरं । न भग्नं पृष्ठतो घ्नंति निःशस्त्रं प्रपलायितम्
saṃmukhena prayudhyaṃte na ca gacchaṃti kātaraṃ | na bhagnaṃ pṛṣṭhato ghnaṃti niḥśastraṃ prapalāyitam
അവർ സമ്മുഖമായി യുദ്ധം ചെയ്യുന്നു; ഭീരുത്വത്തിലേക്ക് പോകുന്നില്ല. തോറ്റു പിൻതിരിഞ്ഞവനെയും, ആയുധമില്ലാതെ ഓടിപ്പോകുന്നവനെയും അവർ വധിക്കുകയില്ല।
Unspecified (narrative voice not provided in the input excerpt)
Concept: Dharma-yuddha is governed by restraint: courage without cruelty, and victory without dishonor.
Application: Compete ethically: face problems directly, avoid exploiting the weak, and refuse ‘cheap wins’ that harm those who cannot defend themselves.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A battlefield pauses in a moment of moral clarity: armored warriors stand face-to-face with raised bows, yet one victor lowers his weapon as an unarmed foe flees. The air holds dust and conch-calls, but the central figure’s posture radiates restraint—valor governed by dharma.","primary_figures":["kṣatriya warrior upholding dharma","fleeing unarmed soldier","battle witnesses (standard-bearers, charioteer)"],"setting":"Open plain battlefield with chariots, banners, and trampled grass; distant ranks and a faint temple silhouette on the horizon to suggest sacred oversight.","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["burnished gold","iron gray","vermillion red","dusty ochre","deep indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a dharma-bound kṣatriya in ornate armor lowers his sword as an unarmed enemy retreats, frontal heroic stance, gold leaf halos and borders, rich crimson and emerald textiles, gem-studded ornaments, stylized chariot wheels and banners, South Indian iconographic symmetry emphasizing moral restraint.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical battlefield at dawn with delicate brushwork, a noble warrior refusing to strike a fleeing unarmed foe, cool blue shadows on distant hills, refined faces and expressive eyes, fluttering pennants, subtle dust haze, moral drama conveyed through gentle gestures.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and natural pigments, dharmic warrior in profile with large expressive eyes, lowered weapon signifying restraint, patterned armor and textiles in red/yellow/green palette, temple-wall aesthetic with rhythmic banner motifs and conch symbols.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic dharma-yuddha tableau framed by lotus and floral borders, central righteous warrior under a stylized divine canopy, peacocks and auspicious motifs at corners, deep blue ground with gold highlights, narrative panels showing ‘do not strike the unarmed/fleeing’ as moral vignettes."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["conch shell","war drums softened","temple bells in distance","wind over flags","brief silence at the moral turning point"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: प्रयुध्यंते → प्रयुध्यन्ते (अनुस्वार-लेखनभेद). गच्छंति → गच्छन्ति (अनुस्वार-लेखनभेद). घ्नंति → घ्नन्ति (अनुस्वार-लेखनभेद).
FAQs
It teaches dharma-yuddha: combat should be fair—fought face to face—and one should not kill the defeated from behind, nor attack the unarmed or those who are fleeing.
Yes. It frames restraint as a mark of righteousness: mercy and fairness apply even in conflict, especially toward those who are defenseless or have disengaged.
As an ethical guideline for any conflict: confront issues directly, avoid cowardly or opportunistic harm, and do not exploit someone when they are vulnerable or unable to defend themselves.