Shloka 4
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Duryodhana Dialogue on Peace and the Refusal of Compromise
एतद्धि कुरव: सर्वे मन्यन्ते धर्मसंहितम् । यत् त्वं प्रशान्तिं मनन््येथा: पाण्डुपुत्रमहात्मभि:
etaddhi kuravaḥ sarve manyante dharmasaṃhitam | yat tvaṃ praśāntiṃ manyethāḥ pāṇḍuputra-mahātmabhiḥ ||
ধৃতরাষ্ট্র বললেন— সকল কৌরবই একে ধর্মসম্মত মনে করে যে তুমি মহাত্মা পাণ্ডুপুত্রদের সঙ্গে সন্ধি করে শান্তির পথ গ্রহণ করো।
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames reconciliation with the Pāṇḍavas as “dharma-saṃhita”—ethically proper and socially stabilizing—implying that rightful governance should prioritize peace and lawful settlement over escalation within a family polity.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations, Dhṛtarāṣṭra reports (or appeals to) the general Kuru consensus that making peace with the Pāṇḍavas is the dharmic course, urging acceptance of a conciliatory settlement rather than moving toward war.