मानयंस् तव पुत्रस्य बाल्यात् प्रभृति सौहृदम् ॥
कृतां राज्यप्रदानेन प्रतिज्ञां परिपालयन् ॥
तथा तु विरथे कर्णे पुत्रान् वै तव पार्थिव ॥
दुःशासनमुखाञ् शूरान् नावधीत् सात्यकिर् वशी ॥
रक्षन् प्रतिज्ञां च पुनर् भीमसेनकृतां पुरा ॥
विरथान् विह्वलांश् चक्रे न तु प्राणैर् व्ययोजयत् ॥
mānayaṃs tava putrasya bālyāt prabhṛti sauhṛdam ||
kṛtāṃ rājyapradānena pratijñāṃ paripālayan ||
tathā tu virathe karṇe putrān vai tava pārthiva ||
duḥśāsanamukhāñ śūrān nāvadhīt sātyakir vaśī ||
rakṣan pratijñāṃ ca punar bhīmasenakṛtāṃ purā ||
virathān vihvalāṃś cakre na tu prāṇair vyayojayat ||
Honoring your son's friendship from childhood, sealed by the promise of a kingdom, keeping his vow, [Karna remained loyal to Duryodhana]. Likewise, when Karna was without a chariot, Satyaki, self-controlled, did not slay your sons, O sovereign, the heroes headed by Duhshasana. And again guarding the vow made long ago by Bhimasena, he made them chariotless and bewildered, but did not deprive them of life.
e8fd62877a41 · published Jul 19, 2026, 4:31:38 PM UTC
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Satyaki, though able to kill the sons of Dhritarashtra, spares them — for the sake of Bhima's vow, who alone has the right to slay them. It is notable that he is called "self-controlled" (vashi): restraint holds back the hand where anger would command a finishing blow. The verse teaches that fidelity to another's vow and mastery over oneself outweigh an easy triumph; and one who spares an enemy out of respect for a comrade's word shows a valor of spirit no less than valor of arms.