Shloka 9
अश्वमेधीयस्य हयस्य दक्षिणापश्चिमगमनम् — The Sacrificial Horse’s Southern and Western Circuit
त॑ युध्यमान राजान क्षत्रधर्मे व्यवस्थितम्
vaiśampāyana uvāca | taṁ yudhyamānaṁ rājānaṁ kṣatradharme vyavasthitam arjunenaivam uktaḥ— “vīra! na te yuddhena kaścid arthaḥ. mahārāja-yudhiṣṭhirasya eṣā ājñā— na rājñāṁ vadhaṁ kariṣyāmi. tasmād yuddhān nivartasva, yathā adya tava parājayo na bhavet.”
Vaiśampāyana disse: Vendo aquele rei, firme no dharma dos kṣatriya e decidido a lutar, Arjuna falou assim: “Ó herói, não há proveito para ti nesta batalha. O rei Yudhiṣṭhira ordenou-me que eu não mate reis. Portanto, retira-te do combate, para que hoje não sofras derrota.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even within kṣatriya-dharma, violence is bounded by higher ethical constraints: Arjuna restrains himself out of obedience to Yudhiṣṭhira’s injunction, showing that rightful command and dharma can limit the pursuit of victory.
A king confronts Arjuna in battle. Arjuna warns him that fighting is futile because Arjuna has been ordered by Yudhiṣṭhira not to kill kings; he urges the opponent to withdraw to avoid defeat.