Shloka 21
Abhimanyunidhana-prakāśaḥ — Vasudeva–Kṛṣṇa–Subhadrā–Kuntī śoka-saṃvāda
Disclosure and Consolation
ततः पार्थ समासाद्य पतड़ इव पावकम् | पजञ्चत्वमगमत् सौतिर्द्धितीयेडहनि दारुण:
tataḥ pārtha samāsādya pataṅga iva pāvakam | pañcatvam agamat sautir dvitīye 'hani dāruṇaḥ ||
婆苏提婆说道：“于是，噢，帕尔塔，苏多之子生性凶烈，逼近与你交锋，于第二日便走向末路。正如飞蛾扑向炽焰而自焚，他在战场上与你相对，遂被诛杀。”此偈以道义告诫：鲁莽的侵凌与迷妄的勇武，若由残酷而非由达摩所驱，必将加速自身的毁灭。
वासुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse uses the moth-and-flame simile to teach that rash, cruel, and dharma-blind aggression leads swiftly to self-destruction; true heroism is not mere ferocity but action aligned with right conduct and discernment.
Kṛṣṇa (Vāsudeva) tells Arjuna (Pārtha) that a fierce warrior called “Sauti” approached and engaged Arjuna, and on the second day of fighting he was killed—likened to a moth flying into fire.