Shloka 35
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 47 — Arjuna’s Deterrent Declaration
Sañjaya’s Report
वृद्धौ विराटद्रुपदौ महारथौ पृथक् चमूभ्यामभिवर्तमानौ । यदा द्रष्टारी धार्तराष्ट्रानू ससैन्यां- स्तदा युद्ध धार्तराष्ट्रोडन्वतप्स्यत्
sañjaya uvāca |
vr̥ddhau virāṭa-drupadau mahārathau pr̥thak camūbhyām abhivartamānau |
yadā draṣṭārau dhārtarāṣṭrān sa-sainyān tadā yuddhe dhārtarāṣṭro ’nutapsyate ||
Sañjaya sprach: „Wenn die betagten großen Wagenkämpfer, König Virata und Drupada, mit ihren getrennten Heeren vorrücken und ihren Blick auf die Söhne Dhṛtarāṣṭras samt ihren Truppen richten, dann wird mitten im Krieg der Dhṛtarāṣṭra-Prinz (Duryodhana) von Reue gepackt werden—weil er zu spät die Folgen erkennt, Aggression statt Dharma gewählt zu haben.“
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores moral causality in politics and war: aggressive choices that violate dharma may appear powerful at first, but when righteous allies unite and consequences become unavoidable, the wrongdoer is driven to remorse. It highlights foresight and restraint as ethical necessities for rulers.
Sanjaya foretells to Dhritarashtra that Virata and Drupada—elder, renowned warriors allied with the Pandavas—will advance with their own armies and confront the Kauravas. At that moment, Duryodhana will regret having pushed the conflict toward war.