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 ||
যুধিষ্ঠিৰে ক’লে—হে শত্রুমৰ্দন, কৰুণাৰ পৰা নহয়, দীনতাৰ বশে নহয়, আৰু ধৰ্ম বা অৰ্থ-নীতিৰ কাৰণেও নহয়—ধৃতৰাষ্ট্ৰৰ পুত্ৰসকলে তোমাৰ ইচ্ছা পূৰণ নকৰিব। সেয়ে তেওঁলোকে দয়া কৰি, নিজকে দুৰ্বল বুলি ভাবি, বা ধৰ্ম-নীতিলৈ চাই তোমাৰ অনুৰোধ মানিব বুলি নাভাবিবা।
युधिछिर उवाच
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.