Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 123 — Bhīṣma–Droṇa–Vidura Upadeśa to Duryodhana
Keśava-vākya aftermath
अब्रवीन्मधुरां वाचं सर्वधर्मार्थतत्त्ववित् तब सम्पूर्ण धर्म और अर्थके तत्त्वको जाननेवाले वृष्णिनन्दन भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण अमर्षशील दुर्योधनकी ओर घूमकर मधुर वाणीमें उससे बोले--
abravīn madhurāṃ vācaṃ sarvadharmārthatattvavit | tataḥ sampūrṇa-dharma-artha-tattvaṃ jānann vṛṣṇinandano bhagavān śrīkṛṣṇo 'marṣaśīlaṃ duryodhanaṃ prati parāvṛtya madhuravāṇyā tam abravīt ||
Vaiśampāyana sprach: Da wandte sich der gesegnete Śrī Kṛṣṇa, die Freude der Vṛṣṇis—der die wahren Grundsätze von dharma und artha vollständig durchschaut—dem jähzornigen Duryodhana zu und redete ihn mit sanfter, wohlabgewogener Stimme an.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
True counsel combines dharma (moral right) with artha (practical welfare). Even when addressing an angry opponent, one should speak with restraint and sweetness, aiming to guide conduct rather than inflame hostility.
The narrator Vaiśampāyana introduces a moment where Kṛṣṇa turns toward Duryodhana and begins speaking to him gently. It signals the start of Kṛṣṇa’s ethically informed diplomatic address in the tense pre-war setting.