Shloka 403
Yuddha-yajña-vyākhyāna (The Battle as Sacrifice): Ambarīṣa–Indra Saṃvāda
अप्रतिष्ठ: स नरकं याति नास्त्यत्र संशय: । जो योद्धा भयभीत हो पीठ दिखाकर भागता है और उसी अवस्थामें शत्रुओंद्वारा मारा जाता है, वह कहीं भी न ठहरकर सीधा नरकमें गिरता है, इसमें संशय नहीं है
apratiṣṭhaḥ sa narakaṃ yāti nāsty atra saṃśayaḥ |
امبریش نے کہا—جو یودھا خوف زدہ ہو کر پیٹھ دکھا کر بھاگتا ہے اور اسی حالت میں دشمن کے ہاتھوں مارا جاتا ہے، وہ ‘بے سہارا’ (اَپرتِشٹھ) ہو کر سیدھا دوزخ میں گرتا ہے؛ اس میں کوئی شک نہیں۔
अम्बरीष उवाच
Educational Q&A
Fear-driven desertion of one’s duty—especially a warrior fleeing and being killed while retreating—destroys one’s moral standing (pratiṣṭhā) and leads to severe karmic consequence, described here as falling into hell.
Ambarīṣa is stating a firm judgment about battlefield conduct: a fighter who turns his back in fear and is slain in that condition is deemed “apratiṣṭha” and is said to go to naraka, with no doubt.