Shloka 24
Bhīmasena’s Counsel on Grief, Inner Conflict, and the Duty of Kingship (भीमसेन-उपदेशः)
तस्मिन्ननिर्जिति युद्धे प्राणान् यदि विमोक्ष्यसे । अन्यं देहं समास्थाय ततस्तैरपि योत्स्यसे
tasminn anirjiti yuddhe prāṇān yadi vimokṣyase | anyaṃ dehaṃ samāsthāya tatas tair api yotsyase ||
หากในศึกที่ยังมิได้พิชิตนั้น เจ้าละทิ้งชีวิตไปโดยมิได้ชัยชนะ ครั้นสวมรับกายใหม่แล้ว เจ้าจักต้องรบกับศัตรูเดิมเหล่านั้นอีกครั้ง.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
One should not abandon one’s rightful duty out of fear or despair; failing to complete a necessary moral task does not erase its consequence, and the unresolved obligation returns—symbolized here by rebirth and renewed conflict.
Vaiśampāyana states a warning within the war-and-duty discourse: if a warrior relinquishes life without achieving victory in the appointed battle, he will take another body and still have to confront the same enemies—underscoring the inescapability of dharma and karmic continuity.