Shloka 6
Saṃśaptaka-Varūthinī Saṅgrāma — Binding and Counter-Binding (संशप्तक-वरूथिनी-संग्रामः)
न चेत् तदभिमन्येत पुरुषो<्डर्जुनदर्शिवान्
na cet tad abhimanyeta puruṣo 'rjunadarśivān, śyāmānāṁ niṣkakaṇṭhīnām gītavādyavipaścitām |
सञ्जय उवाच— यदि स पुरुषोऽर्जुनदर्शी तद् दत्तं धनं नाभिमन्येत न सम्यगनुमन्येत वा, तर्ह्यहं तस्मै पुनरपि सौवर्णं रथं दास्यामि, यत्र हस्तिसदृशा हृष्टपुष्टा षड् वृषभा युक्ता भविष्यन्ति। तेन सह वस्त्राभरणविभूषिताः श्यामाः सुवर्णनिष्ककण्ठ्यः गीतवाद्यविपश्चितश्च स्त्रीणां शतं दास्यामि।
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how, in the heat of war, rulers may use lavish rewards to secure strategic advantage—raising an ethical tension between dharma and expedient inducement. It implicitly critiques the commodification of loyalty and the use of wealth and women as instruments for military aims.
Sañjaya reports an offer being proclaimed: if a man capable of identifying or pointing out Arjuna does not accept the initial reward, an even greater incentive will be given—another golden chariot with six powerful bulls, and a hundred richly adorned women skilled in music.