Shloka 10
कर्णनिधनवृत्तान्तनिवेदनम् | Reporting Karṇa’s Fall to Yudhiṣṭhira
भिन्द्यामहं तस्य शिर इत्युपांशुब्रतं मम । तदुक्त मम चानेन राज्ञामितपराक्रम,“जो मुझसे यह कह दे कि तुम अपना गाण्डीव धनुष दूसरेको दे दो, उसका मैं सिर काट लूँगा।' मैंने मन-ही-मन यह प्रतिज्ञा कर रखी है। अनन्त पराक्रमी गोविन्द! आपके सामने ही इन महाराजने मुझसे वह बात कही है, अतः मैं इन्हें क्षमा नहीं कर सकता; इन धर्मभीरु नरेशका वध करूँगा
sañjaya uvāca | bhindyām ahaṃ tasya śira ity upāṃśu-vrataṃ mama | tad uktaṃ mama cānena rājñāmitaparākrama | “yo mujhse yaha kaha de ki tvaṃ ātmanaḥ gāṇḍīva-dhanuḥ anyasmai dehi, tasya ahaṃ śiraś chindiyām” iti | mayā manasi eṣā pratijñā kṛtā | ananta-parākrama govinda! tava purataḥ eva eṣa mahārājaḥ mayā saha etad avadat | ataḥ ahaṃ enam kṣamituṃ na śaknomi | asya dharma-bhīroḥ nṛpasya vadhaṃ kariṣyāmi |
संजय उवाच—‘यो मां ब्रूयात् “अन्यस्मै देहि गाण्डीवम्” इति, तस्य शिरो भिन्द्याम्’ इत्युपांशुव्रतं मम। तदेव वचनं राज्ञा ममोक्तं, अनन्तपराक्रम गोविन्द, समक्षं तव; तस्मान्न क्षमिष्यामि। धर्मभीरुमपि नृपं हनिष्यामि ॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights the ethical tension between a personal vow (pratijñā) and the broader demands of dharma: a rigid commitment to honor can drive one toward violence even against a dharma-fearing person, showing how vows, when fueled by anger, can become morally perilous.
A warrior recalls a private vow to kill anyone who orders him to give away the Gāṇḍīva bow. Since a king has now spoken those words in Kṛṣṇa’s presence, he declares he cannot forgive the insult and resolves to slay that king despite acknowledging him as dharma-conscious.