ततो नीलो ऽनलप्रख्यो ददाह कुरुवाहिनीम् ॥
शरस्फुलिङ्गश् चापार्चिर् दहन् कक्षम् इवानलः ॥
तं दहन्तम् अनीकानि द्रोणपुत्रः प्रतापवान् ॥
पूर्वाभिभाषी सुश्लक्ष्णं स्मयमानो ऽभ्यभाषत ॥
नील किं बहुभिर् दग्धैस् तव योधैः शरार्चिषा ॥
मयैकेन हि युध्यस्व क्रुद्धः प्रहर चाशुगैः ॥
tato nīlo 'nalaprakhyo dadāha kuruvāhinīm ||
śarasphuliṅgaś cāpārcir dahan kakṣam ivānalaḥ ||
taṃ dahantam anīkāni droṇaputraḥ pratāpavān ||
pūrvābhibhāṣī suślakṣṇaṃ smayamāno 'bhyabhāṣata ||
nīla kiṃ bahubhir dagdhais tava yodhaiḥ śarārciṣā ||
mayaikena hi yudhyasva kruddhaḥ prahara cāśugaiḥ ||
Then Nila, like fire, scorched the army of the Kurus -- with arrows as sparks, his bow a flame, scorching like fire scorching dry brush. Seeing him scorching the hosts, the valiant son of Drona, speaking first, most courteously, smiling, addressed him: "O Nila, to what end burn many of your fighters with the flame of arrows? Fight with me alone, and strike, in rage, with swift arrows."
2320e06bc12e · published Jul 19, 2026, 3:11:21 PM UTC
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Ashvatthaman challenges Nila to battle "courteously, smiling" -- nobility keeps its form even before a mortal clash. In his words are both valor and mercy: "why burn many -- fight with me alone," he calls the fight upon himself to spare the common fighters. It is telling that courtesy and a smile precede a fearsome duel. The verse teaches that true valor is not coarse but clothes itself in courtesy, and a warrior addresses his enemy with respect; that a noble man is ready to take the battle upon himself, sparing the many; and that graciousness and a smile before a duel are not hypocrisy but a sign that even in mortal enmity, a man of honor keeps his human face, not letting hatred disfigure him.