Shloka 96
बभ्रुवाहन-धनंजययोः संग्रामः
Babhruvāhana and Dhanaṃjaya’s engagement at Maṇipūra
प्रोवाच वाक््यं धर्मज्ञ: सैन्धवान् युद्धदुर्मदान् । “अहो! महाराजने कहा था कि क्षत्रियोंका वध न करना। धर्मराजका वह मंगलमय वचन कैसे मिथ्या न हो। राजालोग मारे न जायँ और राजा युधिष्ठिरकी आज्ञाका पालन हो जाय
proväca vākyaṃ dharmajñaḥ saindhavān yuddha-durmadān | “aho! mahārājena uktaṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ vadhaṃ mā kārṣīḥ. dharmarājasya tat maṅgalamayaṃ vacanaṃ kathaṃ mithyā na bhavet? rājānaḥ māryantāṃ ca rājā yudhiṣṭhirasya ājñā ca pālyatām—etat-arthaṃ kiṃ kartavyam?” iti saṃcintya dharmajñaḥ puruṣa-pravaraḥ arjunaḥ raṇonmatta-saindhavebhyaḥ evam uvāca—
毗湿摩波耶那说道：阿周那，通晓法度者，对那些因战斗而狂躁的信度武士说道：“唉！大王曾宣示：不可杀戮刹帝利。法王那吉祥之言，怎能成为虚妄？当如何行事，方能使诸王不被杀害，而又遵奉尤提史提罗王的命令？”如此思量之后，阿周那——人中最杰出者、明辨正法者——便这样对那些战意如狂的信度人说道。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights a dharmic dilemma: how to uphold a righteous king’s command (non-slaughter of kṣatriyas) without letting that command become ineffective. Arjuna models ethical deliberation—seeking a course that preserves life while still honoring legitimate authority and the moral weight of a ruler’s word.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Arjuna confronts the war-frenzied Saindhava warriors. Remembering Yudhiṣṭhira’s instruction not to kill kṣatriyas, Arjuna reflects on how to both spare the kings and still carry out the king’s order, and then begins addressing the Saindhavas accordingly.