Shloka 33
Kṛpa’s Archery Display; Śikhaṇḍin Checked; Suketu Slain; Dhṛṣṭadyumna–Kṛtavarmā Clash (कृपशौर्य–पार्षतहार्दिक्ययुद्धम्)
नित्यमेव शृगालस्त्व॑ नित्यं सिंहो धनंजय: । वीरप्रद्वेषणान्मूढ तस्मात् क्रोष्टेव लक्ष्यसे
nityam eva śṛgālas tvaṁ nityaṁ siṁho dhanañjayaḥ | vīra-pradveṣaṇān mūḍha tasmāt kroṣṭeva lakṣyase ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Engkau sentiasa seekor jakal, sedangkan Dhanañjaya (Arjuna) sentiasa seekor singa. Wahai yang terpedaya, kerana kebencianmu terhadap para wira, engkau pun tampak hanya sebagai si penyalak—seperti jakal.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Hostility toward genuine heroism springs from delusion and manifests as moral smallness. The verse teaches that one’s inner disposition—especially envy and contempt for the noble—determines how one is judged and ‘seen’ in the world.
Sañjaya delivers a sharp comparison: the addressed person is likened to a jackal, while Arjuna (Dhanañjaya) is likened to a lion. The contrast underscores Arjuna’s steadfast valor and condemns the other’s antagonism toward heroes as the cause of his contemptible reputation.