Shloka 68
नच त्यक्तुं तदिच्छामो न चेच्छाम: कुलक्षयम् | अत्र या प्रणिपातेन शान्ति: सैव गरीयसी
na ca tyaktuṃ tad icchāmo na cechāmaḥ kulakṣayam | atra yā praṇipātena śāntiḥ saiva garīyasī ||
قال يودهيشثيرا: «لسنا نريد أن نتخلى عن ذلك الحقّ المشروع، ولا نريد هلاك سلالتنا. وفي هذا الأمر، فإن السلام الذي يُنال بالتواضع والخضوع وبالمصالحة المقرونة بالاحترام—هو وحده الطريق الأرجح.»
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse prioritizes peace and the prevention of clan-destruction over pride: even when one has a rightful claim, reconciliation achieved through humility and respectful negotiation is ethically superior to a victory that costs the family’s survival.
In Udyoga Parva, as war becomes imminent, Yudhiṣṭhira voices a principled stance: he does not want to relinquish what is due, yet he also refuses to seek outcomes that lead to kulakṣaya. Therefore he endorses peace pursued through praṇipāta—deferential, conciliatory diplomacy.