Shloka 60
अध्याय ३३ — कर्म, दैव, हठ, स्वभाव और पुरुषार्थ पर द्रौपदी का उपदेश
Draupadī on Action, Fate, and Human Effort
भ्रातर: पूर्वजाताश्न सुसमद्धा श्व सर्वश: । निकृत्या निर्जिता देवैरसुरा: पार्थिवर्षभ,“नृपश्रेष्ठ आप जानते हैं कि असुरगण देवताओंके बड़े भाई हैं, उनसे पहले उत्पन्न हुए हैं और सब प्रकारसे समृद्धिशाली हैं तो भी देवताओंने छलसे उन्हें जीत लिया
bhrātaraḥ pūrvajātāś ca susamṛddhāś ca sarvaśaḥ | nikṛtyā nirjitā devair asurāḥ pārthivarṣabha ||
毗舍波耶那说道：“噢，诸王之雄牛啊，阿修罗确是长兄——先于天神而生，且诸般昌盛。然而天神却以尼克里提（诡计与欺诈之策）战胜了他们。”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical tension: victory and legitimacy are not always aligned. Even those regarded as ‘Devas’ may resort to nikṛti (deceit/stratagem) to win, prompting reflection on whether ends justify means and how dharma is tested in contests for power.
Vaiśampāyana addresses a king, reminding him of a well-known cosmic precedent: although the Asuras were elder-born and materially strong, the Devas defeated them through stratagem. The statement functions as an illustrative example within the ongoing discourse of the Vana Parva.