Shloka 22
उद्योगपर्व अध्याय १३३ — संजये मातृउपदेशः
Udyoga Parva Adhyaya 133 — A Mother’s Counsel to Saṃjaya
सर्वे ते शत्रव: शक््या न चेज्जीवितुमिच्छसि । अथ चेदीदृशीं वृत्ति क्लीबामभ्युपपद्यसे
sarve te śatravaḥ śakyā na cej jīvitum icchasi | atha ced īdṛśīṁ vṛttiṁ klībām abhyupapadyase ||
Der Sohn sprach: „All eure Feinde lassen sich wohl bezwingen—wenn ihr nicht länger leben wollt. Wenn ihr aber stattdessen einen solchen Weg einschlagt, diesen feigen Wandel, dann gebt ihr die Entschlossenheit preis, die man von dem erwartet, der Feindschaft mit Mut und Verantwortung begegnen muss.“
पुत्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts two responses to enmity: decisive confrontation even at the risk of life versus adopting a cowardly, evasive conduct. It upholds courage and responsible resolve as ethically preferable to a life-preserving but dishonorable retreat.
A son addresses an elder (implied by context) and rebukes him: enemies can be faced if one is ready to stake one’s life, but choosing a ‘klība’ (cowardly) course is condemned. The line functions as a sharp exhortation toward firmness in an impending conflict.