Shloka 143
Śalya Appointed as Karṇa’s Sārathi; Discourse on Praise, Blame, and Beneficial Counsel (कर्णस्य शल्यसारथ्यं तथा स्तवनिन्दाविचारः)
अवध्यं ब्राह्मण मन्ये येन ते विक्रमो हतः । 'जैसे कोई शक्तिशाली पुरुष समुद्रसे नदीके वेगको पीछे लौटा दे
avadhyaṃ brāhmaṇa manye yena te vikramo hataḥ | yathā kaścid balavān puruṣaḥ samudrāt nadī-vegaṃ pratihanyāt, tathāham etad rathaṃ te kṣaṇād eva nivartya neṣyāmi | mama mate brāhmaṇā devatā avadhyāḥ, yaiḥ adya tava parākramaḥ pratihataḥ ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Aku menganggap brāhmaṇa itu tidak boleh dibunuh—dialah yang telah menahan kegagahanmu. Seperti seorang lelaki perkasa mampu memalingkan kembali derasnya sungai dari laut, demikianlah aku akan segera memutar keretamu dan membawanya kembali. Pada hematku, para brāhmaṇa itu laksana dewa dan tidak patut dibunuh; oleh merekalah hari ini keberanianmu telah disekat.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores a dharmic restraint within warfare: brāhmaṇas are regarded as sacrosanct and ‘avadhya’ (not to be slain). Even amid battle, ethical boundaries remain, and violating them is portrayed as spiritually and socially catastrophic.
Sañjaya comments that a brāhmaṇa’s intervention has checked the warrior’s momentum. Using a simile of reversing a river’s surge, he declares he will immediately turn the chariot back, emphasizing that brāhmaṇas are divine and not legitimate targets, and that this is why the hero’s advance has been obstructed.