Shloka 17
Jarāsandha-nipātana, rāja-mokṣa, and rājasūya-sāhāyya-prārthanā
Jarāsandha’s fall, liberation of kings, and request for support
स्वर्ग होव समास्थाय रणयज्ञेषु दीक्षिता: । जयन्ति क्षत्रिया लोकांस्तद् विद्धि मनुजर्षभ,नरश्रेष्ठ! स्वर्गप्राप्तिका ही उद्देश्य रखकर रणयज्ञकी दीक्षा लेनेवाले क्षत्रिय अपने अभीष्ट लोकोंपर विजय पाते हैं, यह बात तुम्हें भलीभाँति जाननी चाहिये
svargaṁ vā samāsthāya raṇayajñeṣu dīkṣitāḥ | jayanti kṣatriyā lokāṁs tad viddhi manujaarṣabha naraśreṣṭha ||
स्वर्गं लक्ष्यीकृत्य रणयज्ञेषु दीक्षिता ये क्षत्रियाः, ते स्वाभीष्टान् लोकान् जयन्ति। एतद् विद्धि भद्रं ते, मनुजर्षभ नरश्रेष्ठ।
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Kṛṣṇa frames righteous warfare for a kṣatriya as a disciplined, vow-bound act comparable to a yajña; when undertaken with the aim of svarga and in accord with duty, it is believed to yield the desired posthumous realms.
In counsel, Kṛṣṇa addresses a ‘best of men’ and explains the traditional kṣatriya perspective: those initiated into the ‘battle-sacrifice’ and fighting with heaven as their goal are said to attain victory over the worlds they seek.