Shloka 27
Droṇotpattiḥ, Astralābhaḥ, Drupada-vairasya bījaṃ ca
The Birth of Droṇa, Acquisition of Weapons, and the Seed of Enmity with Drupada
क्षेममद्य करिष्यामि यथा वनमकण्टकम् | न पुनर्मनिषान् हत्वा भक्षयिष्यसि राक्षस,राक्षस! आज तुझे मारकर मैं इस वनको निष्कण्टक एवं मंगलमय बना दूँगा, जिससे फिर तू मनुष्योंको मारकर नहीं खा सकेगा
kṣemam adya kariṣyāmi yathā vanam akaṇṭakam | na punar manuṣyān hatvā bhakṣayiṣyasi rākṣasa rākṣasa ||
โอ้รากษส! วันนี้เราจะฆ่าเจ้าให้สิ้น แล้วทำป่าแห่งนี้ให้ปลอดภัย ไร้หนามแห่งภัยพาล เพื่อว่าเจ้าจะมิอาจฆ่ามนุษย์แล้วกินเป็นอาหารได้อีก
भीम उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse presents protective action as dharma: force is justified when it removes a predatory threat and restores safety (kṣema) for innocent people, making the environment ‘thornless’ (akaṇṭaka) in the sense of free from danger.
Bhima addresses a man-eating rākṣasa and vows to kill him that very day, declaring that this will make the forest safe and prevent the demon from killing and eating humans again.