Shloka 9
बभ्रुवाहन-धनंजययोः संग्रामः
Babhruvāhana and Dhanaṃjaya’s engagement at Maṇipūra
न हन्येरंश्व राजानो राज्ञश्चाज्ञा कृता भवेत् इति संचिन्त्य स तदा फाल्गुन: पुरुषर्षभ:
na hanyeraṁśva rājāno rājñaścājñā kṛtā bhavet iti sañcintya sa tadā phālgunaḥ puruṣarṣabhaḥ
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Setelah merenung demikian—“Raja-raja tidak wajar dibunuh, dan titah seorang pemerintah agung hendaklah dilaksanakan”—maka Phālguna (Arjuna), sang banteng di antara manusia, pada ketika itu bermusyawarah dalam hati dengan tekad berlandaskan dharma.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds a dharmic restraint: even amid conflict, the killing of kings is treated as morally weighty, and the rightful command of a sovereign is to be honored. It presents ethical deliberation as integral to righteous action.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Arjuna (Phālguna), described as the best of men, pauses to reflect on principles of conduct—avoiding the slaying of kings and fulfilling the king’s order—before proceeding with his next course of action.