Shloka 10
Rukmī’s Offer of Aid and Arjuna’s Refusal (रुक्मिप्रस्तावः—अर्जुनप्रत्याख्यानम्)
एवं ये कुशल शूरं हितेप्सितमकल्मषम् | सेनापतिं प्रकुर्वन्ति ते जयन्ति रणे रिपून्
evaṁ ye kuśalaśūraṁ hitepsitam akalmaṣam | senāpatiṁ prakurvanti te jayanti raṇe ripūn ||
اسی طرح جو لوگ جنگ میں ماہر، دلیر، خیرخواہ اور بے داغ شخص کو سپہ سالار بناتے ہیں، وہ میدانِ کارزار میں دشمنوں پر یقیناً فتح پاتے ہیں۔
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Victory in war is linked to the right choice of leadership: a commander should be competent (kuśala), courageous (śūra), committed to the welfare of his side (hitepsita), and morally untainted (akalmaṣa). The verse presents ethical fitness as a practical force-multiplier, not merely an ideal.
Vaiśampāyana states a general principle about warfare and governance: those who install a capable and virtuous hero as senāpati gain success against enemies in battle. It functions as counsel on selecting commanders during the tense pre-war deliberations of the Udyoga Parva.