अध्याय ९ — कर्णस्य प्रहारः, योधयुग्मनियोजनम्, शैनेय-कैकेययोर्युद्धविन्यासः
न हनिष्यति कौन्तेयान् पक्षपातात् सुयोधन । सवनिव हनिष्यामि व्येतु ते मानसो ज्वर:,जिसने मेरे पुत्रसे कहा था कि दुर्योधन! यदि युद्धकी श्लाघा रखनेवाले भीष्म अथवा रणदुर्मद द्रोणाचार्य पक्षपात करनेके कारण कुन्तीपुत्रोंकोी नहीं मारेंगे तो मैं उन सबको मार डालूँगा। तुम्हारी मानसिक चिन्ता दूर हो जानी चाहिये
na haniṣyati kaunteyān pakṣapātāt suyodhana | savan iva haniṣyāmi vyetu te mānaso jvaraḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana disse: “Ó Suyodhana, por parcialidade eles não matarão os filhos de Kuntī. Portanto eu mesmo os matarei a todos; que se dissipe a febre de tua inquietação.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
The verse highlights how perceived partiality in war leadership breeds insecurity and escalates violence: when trusted elders are thought unable to act impartially, a more ruthless agent claims responsibility, promising decisive killing to soothe the ruler’s anxiety—an ethical warning about bias, fear, and the spiral of vengeance.
Vaiśampāyana reports a reassurance addressed to Duryodhana: since the Pāṇḍavas may not be slain by certain warriors due to partiality, the speaker vows to kill the sons of Kuntī himself and urges Duryodhana to abandon his mental distress.