Mahabharata (Gita Press) 7.39.18 - Drona Parva, Adhyaya 39, Shloka 18
अभिमन्युना दुःशासनस्य ताडनम्
Abhimanyu’s Rebuke and Wounding of Duḥśāsana; Karṇa’s Counter-volley
'प्रिय सैनिको! मैं आपलोगोंसे सच्ची बात कहता हूँ। यदि ये युद्धमें मारनेके लिये उद्यत हो जायूँ तो इनके सामने यमराज भी युद्ध नहीं कर सकता; फिर दूसरा कोई मनुष्य तो इनके सामने टिक ही कैसे सकता है? ।।
priya sainikāḥ! ahaṃ yuṣmān satyaṃ vacmi. yadi te yuddhe hantum udyatā bhaveyuḥ, teṣāṃ purato yamarājo 'pi yuddhe na śaknoti; anyo manuṣyaḥ kathaṃ nu teṣāṃ purataḥ tiṣṭhet? arjunasya sutaṃ tv eṣa śiṣyatvād abhirakṣati. śiṣyāḥ putrāś ca dayitās; tadapatyaṃ ca dharmiṇām api priyam eva bhavati.
Sañjaya disse: “Queridos soldados, digo-vos a verdade. Se eles se aplicassem por inteiro a matar nesta guerra, nem Yama, o Senhor da Morte, poderia resistir-lhes em combate—como, então, poderia qualquer outro homem manter-se diante deles? Contudo, eles protegem o filho de Arjuna, porque Arjuna é seu discípulo. Discípulos e filhos são naturalmente queridos; e, para os homens justos, até os filhos daqueles que se ama são estimados.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how dharma and relational obligations temper raw martial power: even in war, righteous people may restrain themselves out of loyalty to a disciple and affection for a disciple’s child, showing that ethical bonds (guru–śiṣya, familial affection) can guide conduct amid violence.
Sanjaya addresses the soldiers, emphasizing the overwhelming prowess of certain warriors—so great that even Yama would not face them—yet notes that they are deliberately protecting Arjuna’s son because Arjuna is their disciple, and disciples (and their children) are dear to the righteous.
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