Shloka 28
Adhyāya 160: Arjuna’s Envoy-Message—Critique of Borrowed Valor and Pre-dawn Mobilization
त्रयोदश समा भुक्त राज्यं विलपतस्तव । भूयश्चैव प्रशासिष्ये निहत्य त्वां सबान्धवम्
trayodaśa samā bhukta rājyaṃ vilapatastava | bhūyaś caiva praśāsiṣye nihatya tvāṃ sabāndhavam ||
Ulūka mengejek: “Ketika engkau meratap, aku menikmati kerajaanmu selama tiga belas tahun. Dan kini, setelah membunuhmu bersama seluruh kaum kerabatmu, aku seoranglah yang akan terus memerintah negeri ini.”
उलूक उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse illustrates adharma through cruel triumphalism: taking pride in another’s misery and threatening extermination for political gain. It warns that power pursued through insult, hatred, and violence corrodes righteous kingship and inflames destructive conflict.
Ulūka delivers a provocative message, boasting that he (on the Kaurava side) has enjoyed the kingdom during the opponents’ years of hardship and declaring an intention to kill the addressee along with his relatives and continue ruling. The rhetoric is designed to enrage and push matters toward war.