यथासंभवशास्त्रार्थलोकाचारानुवृत्तिमान् । युध्यते तादृशश्चैव भक्तः शूरः स उच्यते ॥ २७ ॥
yathāsaṁbhavaśāstrārthalōkācārānuvṛttimān | yudhyatē tādṛśaścaiva bhaktaḥ śūraḥ sa ucyatē || 27 ||
Translation
One who keeps, as far as he can, to the sense of scripture and the custom of the world, and fights so, devoted to such a lord, is called a hero.
Word by word
- yathāsaṁbhava
- as far as he can
- śāstra
- of scripture
- artha
- to the sense
- lōka
- of the world
- ācāra
- and the custom
- anuvṛttimān
- one who keeps
- yudhyatē
- fights
- tādṛśaś
- (tādṛśaḥ) so, to such a lord
- ca
- and
- ēva
- indeed
- bhaktaḥ
- devoted
- śūraḥ
- a hero
- sa
- he
- ucyatē
- is called
Meaning
The warrior himself must also be righteous. "As far as he can" (yathāsambhavam) is the realism of the teaching: no one keeps every rule, but he holds to the meaning of scripture and to the good custom of the world as best he may. The first commentary: and is devoted to a lord of good conduct. Both the cause and the man must be sound.