शल्यस्य सेनापत्याभ्युपगमः | Śalya’s Acceptance of Command
शस्त्रावभूथपूतानां ध्रुवं वासस्त्रिविष्टपे “जिनके आचरण श्रेष्ठ हैं
śastrāvabhūthapūtānāṃ dhruvaṃ vāsaḥ trivīṣṭape
Sañjaya berkata: Orang-orang bijaksana yang disucikan oleh ‘avabhṛtha’ senjata—yang tingkah lakunya mulia, yang tidak pernah berpaling dari medan perang, yang menepati sumpahnya, dan yang beribadat melalui korban suci—pasti memperoleh tempat tinggal di syurga.
संजय उवाच
The verse links steadfast performance of one’s dharma—especially a warrior’s refusal to retreat, truthfulness to vows, and reverence for yajña—with spiritual ‘purification’ and the assured reward of heaven. It frames righteous battle as a sacrificial act, where the ordeal of weapons functions like an avabhṛtha bath.
Sañjaya, narrating the Kurukṣetra events, offers a reflective statement about the fate of exemplary men in war: those who uphold noble conduct, keep their pledges, and remain committed to sacrificial worship are said to attain svarga, their combat being portrayed as a purifying culmination akin to a ritual bath.