Shloka 22
अर्जुनस्य लक्ष्यवेधः
Arjuna’s Hitting of the Target at the Svayaṃvara
मा वधी: क्षत्रियांस्तात न लोकान् सप्त पुत्रक | दूषयन्तं तपस्तेज: क्रोधमुत्पतितं जहि
mā vadhīḥ kṣatriyāṁs tāta na lokān sapta putraka | dūṣayantaṁ tapas-tejaḥ krodham utpatitaṁ jahi, tāta ||
Vasiṣṭha berkata: “Wahai anakku, jangan bunuh para kṣatriya; dan wahai anak yang dikasihi, janganlah engkau membawa kebinasaan ke atas tujuh alam. Kemarahan yang timbul ini hanya akan menodai sinar yang lahir daripada tapa-bratamu—maka tumpaskanlah kemarahan itu sendiri.”
वसिष्ठ उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that true strength lies in conquering one’s own anger rather than destroying others. Anger corrupts the spiritual power (tejas) gained through austerity, and ethical restraint protects both social order (kṣatriyas) and cosmic stability (the ‘seven worlds’).
Vasiṣṭha addresses a younger, powerful figure who is inflamed with wrath and inclined toward mass violence against kṣatriyas. He urgently restrains him, warning that such rage could lead to catastrophic destruction, and redirects the ‘battle’ inward: the proper enemy to kill is the risen anger itself.