Shloka 136
Saṃśaptaka-Varūthinī Saṅgrāma — Binding and Counter-Binding (संशप्तक-वरूथिनी-संग्रामः)
युक्त परमकाम्बोजैरयों मे ब्रूयाद् धनंजयम् । “इनके सिवा अठारह और भी घोड़े दूँगा, जो अच्छी तरह रथमें सधे हुए होंगे। जो मुझे अर्जुनका पता बता देगा उसे मैं परम उज्ज्वल और अलंकारोंसे सजाया हुआ एक सुवर्णमय रथ दूँगा, जिसमें अच्छी नस्लके काबुली घोड़े जुते होंगे
sañjaya uvāca | yukta-parama-kāmbojair ayo me brūyād dhanañjayam | imeṣāṃ sivā aṣṭādaśa anye 'pi ghoḍe dūṅgā, ye suṣṭhu rathaṃ sadhitā bhaviṣyanti | yo mama arjunasya pataṃ vadiṣyati tasmai ahaṃ parama-ujjvalaṃ alaṅkāraiḥ sajjitaṃ suvarṇamayaṃ ekaṃ rathaṃ dāsyāmi, yasmin uttama-jātiyāḥ kābulī-aśvā yuktā bhaviṣyanti ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Biarlah seseorang memberitahuku di mana Dhananjaya (Arjuna) berada. Selain itu, aku akan memberikan lagi lapan belas ekor kuda, terlatih baik dan dipasang pada kereta perang dengan sempurna. Sesiapa yang mendedahkan tempat Arjuna kepadaku akan aku anugerahi sebuah kereta perang emas yang gemilang, dihias indah, dipasangkan dengan kuda Kabul daripada baka terbaik.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage illustrates how, in wartime, desire for victory can lead leaders to use wealth and prestige as tools to obtain information. Ethically, it invites reflection on whether ends justify means, and how greed or ambition can pressure individuals to betray trust or dharma.
A speaker (reported by Sanjaya) announces rewards—additional well-trained horses and an ornate golden chariot with fine Kabul horses—for anyone who can disclose Arjuna’s location, indicating an attempt to gain tactical advantage by locating a key opponent.