Shloka 27
धर्मात्मानं भ्रातरं ज्येष्ठमद्य खड्गेन चैनं यदि हन्या नृवीर । धर्माद् भीतस्तत् कथं नाम ते स्यात् किंचोत्तरं वाकरिष्यस्त्वमेव,“नरवीर! यदि आज धर्मसे डरकर तुमने अपने बड़े भाई इन धर्मात्मा युधिष्ठिरको तलवारसे मार डाला होता तो तुम्हारी कैसी दशा होती और इसके बाद तुम क्या करते?
dharmātmānaṃ bhrātaraṃ jyeṣṭham adya khaḍgena cainaṃ yadi hanyā nṛvīra | dharmād bhītas tat kathaṃ nāma te syāt kiṃ cottaraṃ vā kariṣyas tvam eva ||
ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ—“ନରବୀର! ଯଦି ଆଜି ଧର୍ମର ଭୟରୁ ତୁମେ ତୁମ ଜ୍ୟେଷ୍ଠ ଭ୍ରାତା, ଧର୍ମାତ୍ମା ଯୁଧିଷ୍ଠିରଙ୍କୁ ତଳୱାରରେ ହତ୍ୟା କରିଥାନ୍ତ, ତେବେ ତୁମର ଅବସ୍ଥା କ’ଣ ହେଇଥାନ୍ତା? ଏପରି କର୍ମ ପରେ ତୁମେ ନିଜେ କେଉଁ ଉତ୍ତର ଦେଇପାରିଥାନ୍ତ, ଏବଂ ପରେ କ’ଣ କରିଥାନ୍ତ?”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even in war, dharma sets limits: killing one’s righteous elder brother is a moral catastrophe that cannot be justified afterward. The verse stresses accountability—what one could possibly say or do after violating a fundamental ethical boundary.
Sañjaya poses a pointed moral counterfactual to a warrior: if, fearing dharma, he had nonetheless slain his eldest, dharma-abiding brother with a sword, what fate and what justification would remain? The question highlights the unbearable consequences of such an act.