Shloka 2
Jarā’s Account and the Enthronement of Jarāsandha (जरासंधोत्पत्तिः अभिषेकश्च)
न सम मृत्युं वयं विद्य रात्रौ वा यदि वा दिवा | न चापि कंचिदमरमयुद्धेनानुशुश्रुम
na sma mṛtyuṃ vayaṃ vidma rātrau vā yadi vā divā | na cāpi kaṃcid amaram ayuddhenānuśuśruma, mahārāja ||
वायुरुवाच— न समं मृत्युं वयं विद्मो रात्रौ वा यदि वा दिवा। न चापि कञ्चिदमरं अयुद्धेनानुशुश्रुम॥ महाराज, मृत्युं कदा आगमिष्यति—रात्रौ वा दिवा—इति वयं न विद्मः; तस्य नियतकालो न केनचित् ज्ञायते। न च वयं श्रुतवन्तः, यत् अयुद्धेन कश्चिदमरः अभवत्।
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
Death is uncertain in timing and cannot be avoided by mere inaction; therefore one should not abandon rightful duty out of fear, since abstaining from battle does not grant immortality.
Vāyudeva addresses the king and argues against hesitation: since no one knows the hour of death and non-combat has never made anyone deathless, one should not shrink from the duty of fighting when it is dharmically required.