Shloka 29
गदायुद्धप्रतिज्ञा — The Vow and Terms of the Mace Duel
स त्वमुत्तिष्ठ युध्यस्व विनीय भयमात्मन: । घातयित्वा सर्वसैन्यं भ्रातृश्वैव सुयोधन
sa tvam uttiṣṭha yudhyasva vinīya bhayam ātmanaḥ | ghātayitvā sarvasainyaṃ bhrātṝś caiva suyodhana ||
Sañjaya berkata: “Maka bangkitlah dan bertempurlah, buanglah rasa takut dari hatimu. Wahai Suyodhana, setelah engkau menyebabkan saudara-saudaramu dan seluruh bala tentera terbunuh, tidaklah patut bagi lelaki sepertimu—yang berlindung pada dharma kṣatriya—untuk kini hanya memikirkan menyelamatkan nyawa dengan dalih ‘menegakkan yang benar’.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
A kṣatriya must not succumb to fear or seek self-preservation after initiating catastrophic violence; one must face the consequences of one’s chosen path and uphold the warrior’s duty with courage and responsibility.
Sañjaya reports an exhortation directed at Suyodhana (Duryodhana): he is urged to rise and fight, abandon fear, and not retreat into a late claim of righteousness after having already brought about the destruction of brothers and armies.