ब्राह्मणांस् तर्पयित्वा च निष्कान् दत्त्वा पृथक् पृथक् ॥
गाश् च वासांसि च पुनः समाभाष्य परस्परम् ॥
प्रज्वाल्य कृष्णवर्त्मानम् उपागम्य रणे व्रतम् ॥
तस्मिन्न् अग्नौ तदा चक्रुः प्रतिज्ञां दृढनिश्चयाः ॥
शृण्वतां सर्वभूतानाम् उच्चैर् वाचः स्म मेनिरे ॥
धृत्वा धनंजयवधे प्रतिज्ञां चापि चक्रिरे ॥
brāhmaṇāṃs tarpayitvā ca niṣkān dattvā pṛthak pṛthak ||
gāś ca vāsāṃsi ca punaḥ samābhāṣya parasparam ||
prajvālya kṛṣṇavartmānam upāgamya raṇe vratam ||
tasminn agnau tadā cakruḥ pratijñāṃ dṛḍhaniścayāḥ ||
śṛṇvatāṃ sarvabhūtānām uccair vācaḥ sma menire ||
dhṛtvā dhanaṃjayavadhe pratijñāṃ cāpi cakrire ||
Having gifted and satisfied the brahmins, having distributed gold nishka coins to each one by one, as well as cows and garments, and then, having exchanged words among themselves, having kindled Agni whose path is black, and turning to the vow for war, they then, before that fire, gave their oath, unyielding in resolve. Before all beings hearkening, they loudly declared their words and took upon themselves the pledge for Arjuna's death, and so gave their vow.
22d25ec3b2ed · publicado 19 jul 2026, 15:00:04 UTC
Disponible enRUENPasa de verso en verso con
The vow is given "before all beings hearkening" and before fire as witness: an oath calling all creation and Agni himself to witness is the highest form of vow — but here it is laid upon the killing of a righteous man. Thus the most sacred is summoned as guarantor of the unjust. Telling are the preceding gifts to the brahmins and the cows: good deeds are performed, but as preparation for an evil deed. The verse teaches that even the most solemn vow, sealed by fire and the witness of all existence, does not sanctify its aim if that aim is unjust; that good deeds placed in the service of a wicked scheme do not redeem it; and that calling on the sacred as guarantor of vengeance is sacrilege dressed in ritual.