Shloka 366
जयद्रथवधः — The Slaying of Jayadratha
Sunset Vow and Curse-Condition
बल॑ वीर्य कृतज्ञत्वं मम ज्ञास्यन्ति कौरवा: । आज सहस्रों राजाओंका संहार करके मैं इन राजाओंके समाजमें महात्मा पाण्डवोंके प्रति अपने स्नेह और भक्तिका प्रदर्शन करूँगा। अब कौरवोंको मेरे बल, पराक्रम और कृतज्ञताका परिचय मिल जायगा
balaṁ vīryaṁ kṛtajñatvaṁ mama jñāsyanti kauravāḥ | adya sahasrāṇāṁ rājñāṁ saṁhāraṁ kṛtvāhaṁ rājñāṁ samāje mahātmā-pāṇḍaveṣu prati mama sneha-bhakti-pradarśanaṁ kariṣyāmi | adhunā kauravāṇāṁ mama bala-parākrama-kṛtajñatā-paricayo bhaviṣyati |
मम बलं वीर्यं कृतज्ञत्वं च कौरवाः ज्ञास्यन्ति। अद्य सहस्रशो राज्ञः संहृत्य, एषां राजसमाजे महात्मपाण्डवेषु मम स्नेहभक्तिं प्रकाशयिष्यामि। अधुना कौरवाः मम शक्तिं शौर्यं कृतज्ञतां च प्रत्यक्षं प्राप्स्यन्ति।
सूत उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage foregrounds kṛtajñatā (gratitude) as an ethical duty: martial prowess is not presented as mere violence, but as action undertaken to repay loyalty and to publicly affirm one’s obligations and allegiance. It also reflects the kṣatriya ideal that honor is demonstrated through deeds witnessed by the wider political community.
A speaker declares that, in the midst of the Drona Parva battles, he will kill vast numbers of kings and thereby make the Kauravas recognize his strength and prowess, while simultaneously using this battlefield achievement to demonstrate his affection and devotion toward the Pāṇḍavas before an assembly of rulers.