Shloka 13
अद्रोहसमयं कृत्वा चिच्छेद नमुचे: शिर: । शक्र: साभिमता तस्य रिपौ वृत्ति: सनातनी,इन्द्रने नमुचिसे कभी वैर न करनेकी प्रतिज्ञा करके उसपर विश्वास जमाया और मौका देखकर उसका सिर काट लिया। तात! शत्रुके प्रति इसी प्रकारका व्यवहार सदासे होता चला आया है। यह इन्द्रको भी मान्य है
adrohasamayaṃ kṛtvā ciccheda namuceḥ śiraḥ | śakraḥ sābhimatā tasya ripau vṛttiḥ sanātanī ||
Duryodhana disse: «Depois de firmar um acordo de não-hostilidade, Śakra (Indra) conquistou a confiança de Namuci e, ao surgir a oportunidade, decepou-lhe a cabeça. Nobre senhor, tal conduta para com um inimigo vem sendo seguida desde tempos antigos; é uma prática que o próprio Indra aprova.»
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents Duryodhana’s attempt to normalize deceit against enemies by citing Indra’s precedent. It highlights a moral tension in the epic: whether success in conflict can justify breaking trust, and how appeals to divine examples can be used to rationalize ethically dubious conduct.
Duryodhana argues that harsh or deceptive tactics are traditional in dealing with foes. He references the mythic episode where Indra, after making a non-hostility agreement with the Asura Namuci, later beheaded him when an opportunity arose, and claims this is an accepted model of enemy-treatment.