Adhyāya 96: Nārada Guides Mātali in Varuṇa’s Realm
Varuṇa-loka Darśana
बलवानहमित्येव न मन्तव्यं सुयोधन । बलवन्तो बलिभ्यो हि दृश्यन्ते पुरुषर्षभ
balavān aham ity eva na mantavyaṃ suyodhana | balavanto balibhyo hi dṛśyante puruṣarṣabha ||
اے سُیودھن! یہ نہ سمجھ کہ ‘میں ہی سب سے زیادہ طاقتور ہوں’؛ کیونکہ اے مردوں کے سردار، طاقتوروں سے بھی زیادہ طاقتور لوگ دنیا میں دیکھے جاتے ہیں۔
कण्व उवाच
Do not become arrogant about one’s own strength; in the world there are always those stronger. Ethical action requires humility, realistic self-assessment, and restraint rather than pride-driven decisions.
Kaṇva addresses Suyodhana (Duryodhana) with admonitory counsel, warning him against overconfidence and reminding him that power is relative—an implicit check on rashness in the tense pre-war context of the Udyoga Parva.