Shloka 44
Kṛṣṇa-vīrya-kathana
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s appraisal of Vāsudeva’s deeds
यो<वधीत् केतुमान् वीरो राजपुत्रं दुरासदम् | अपरान्तगिरिद्वारे द्रोणात् कस्तं न््यवारयत्,जिस वीरने अपरान्त पर्वतके द्वारदेशमें स्थित दुर्जय राजकुमारका वध किया, उस केतुमान्को द्रोणाचार्यके पास आनेसे किसने रोका?
yo ’vadhīt ketumān vīro rājaputraṁ durāsadam | aparāntagiridvāre droṇāt kas taṁ nyavārayat ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Pahlawan manakah yang membunuh Ketumān—putera raja yang sukar ditundukkan—di pintu gerbang pergunungan Aparānta, dan siapakah pula yang kemudian menghalangnya daripada sampai kepada Droṇācārya?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights two complementary martial virtues: decisive action in battle (slaying a formidable foe) and tactical restraint (being checked from advancing to a key commander). In the ethical frame of kṣatriya-dharma, prowess is inseparable from strategic limits imposed by opponents and circumstance.
Vaiśampāyana poses a pointed query about a specific battlefield episode: a hero kills the prince Ketumān at a strategic mountain pass (Aparānta-giridvāra) and is then prevented from approaching Droṇācārya. The question sets up identification of the warrior and the one who intercepted him.