Shloka 41
कण्वोपदेशः—नश्वरबलविवेकः तथा मातलिगुणकेश्याः आख्यानारम्भः
Kaṇva’s Counsel on Impermanent Power; Opening of the Mātali–Guṇakeśī Narrative
तस्माद् यावद् धनुःश्रेष्ठे गाण्डीवे<स्त्रं न युज्यते । तावत् त्वं मानमुत्सूज्य गच्छ राजन् धनंजयम्,अतः राजन! जबतक श्रेष्ठ धनुष गाण्डीवपर (दिव्य) अस्त्रोंका संधान नहीं किया जाता, तबतक ही तुम अभिमान छोड़कर अर्जुनसे मिल जाओ
tasmād yāvad dhanuḥśreṣṭhe gāṇḍīve 'straṃ na yujyate | tāvat tvaṃ mānam utsṛjya gaccha rājan dhanañjayam ||
Maka, wahai raja, selagi senjata-senjata sakti (astra) belum lagi dipasang pada busur terunggul, Gāṇḍīva, sebelum saat itu tiba hendaklah engkau membuang kesombongan dan pergi menemui Dhanañjaya (Arjuna).
राम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that pride should be relinquished promptly and that one should seek reconciliation while there is still time. It frames humility and timely diplomacy as ethically superior to waiting until conflict becomes inevitable.
Rama advises a king to approach Arjuna (Dhanañjaya) immediately, before Arjuna fully prepares for battle by setting divine weapons upon his bow Gāṇḍīva—implying that once martial readiness is complete, peaceful persuasion will be far harder.