Shloka 30
Subhadrā-vivāha-saṃsthāpana, Vṛṣṇi–Kuru satkāra, and Abhimanyu-janma
Chapter 213
न करिष्यसि चेदेवं मृतां मामुपधारय । प्राणदानान्महाबाहो चर धर्ममनुत्तमम्,महाबाहो! यदि आप मेरी प्रार्थना पूर्ण नहीं करेंगे तो निश्चय जानिये, मैं मर जाऊँगी। अतः मुझे प्राणदान देकर अत्यन्त उत्तम धर्मका अनुष्ठान कीजिये
na kariṣyasi ced evaṁ mṛtāṁ mām upadhāraya | prāṇadānān mahābāho cara dharmam anuttamam ||
“Nếu ngài không làm vậy, thì hãy biết rằng ta kể như đã chết. Vậy nên, hỡi bậc Đại Tí Lực—xin ban cho ta mạng sống, và nhờ đó mà thực hành dharma tối thượng.”
अजुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames sparing or preserving life (prāṇadāna) as an act of the highest dharma, urging the hero to choose compassionate protection over refusal, and presenting ethical action as measured by the safeguarding of another’s life.
A speaker pleads with a mighty warrior, warning that denial of the request will lead to the speaker’s death; the plea is strengthened by moral argument—granting life is portrayed as an unsurpassed righteous deed.