Shloka 9
Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 72 — Bhīmasena’s counsel on conciliation and Duryodhana’s disposition
नानुक्रोशान्न कार्पण्यान्न च धर्मार्थकारणात् । अलं कर्तु धार्तराष्ट्रस्तव काममरिंदम
nā’nukrośān na kārpaṇyān na ca dharmārthakāraṇāt | alaṁ kartuṁ dhārtarāṣṭras tava kāmam ariṁdama śatrumardana nareśa ||
قال يودهيشثيرا: «لا عن رحمة، ولا عن ضعفٍ مُزرٍ، ولا حتى لاعتبار الدارما أو المنفعة الدنيوية، سيرضى أبناء دْهْرِتَراشْتْرَ أن يحققوا رغبتك. يا قاهر الأعداء، يا أيها الملك، لا تظنّ أنهم سيمنحون طلبك شفقةً، أو تواضعًا، أو مراعاةً للحقّ وحُسن السياسة».
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Yudhiṣṭhira warns against naïve expectations in moral and political conflict: entrenched hostility and ambition are not softened merely by appeals to compassion, humility, or even dharma and pragmatic benefit. Ethical counsel here includes clear-eyed assessment of an opponent’s motives.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses a king (contextually a Pandava ally/leader in counsel) and cautions that the Dhārtarāṣṭras—Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons led by Duryodhana—will not grant the requested settlement out of mercy or righteousness, foreshadowing the failure of peace efforts.