Shloka 85

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 71 — Kṣatra-dharma Counsel, Public Legitimacy, and Mobilization

Devanagari script

श्रीभगवानुवाच जानाम्येतां महाराज धार्तराष्ट्रस्य पापताम्‌ । अवाच्यास्तु भविष्याम: सर्वलोके महीक्षिताम्‌,श्रीभगवानने कहा--महाराज! धृतराष्ट्रपुत्र दुर्योधन कितना पापाचारी है, यह मैं जानता हूँ, तथापि वहाँ जाकर संधिके लिये प्रयत्न करनेपर हम सब लोग सम्पूर्ण जगत्‌के राजाओंकी दृष्टिमें निन्‍्दाके पात्र न होंगे

Transliteration

śrībhagavān uvāca: jānāmy etāṁ mahārāja dhārtarāṣṭrasya pāpatām | avācyās tu bhaviṣyāmaḥ sarvaloke mahīkṣitām ||

Translation

Der Erhabene sprach: „O großer König, ich kenne die Schlechtigkeit des Sohnes Dhṛtarāṣṭras wohl. Doch wenn wir nicht hingehen und uns nicht um einen Ausgleich bemühen, werden wir in den Augen aller Könige der Welt tadelnswert sein.“

Word by Word

• {'śrībhagavān uvāca': 'the Blessed Lord said (a reverential epithet for Kṛṣṇa)', 'jānāmi': 'I know', 'etām': 'this (accusative feminine singular

• referring to the wickedness)', 'mahārāja': 'O great king', 'dhārtarāṣṭrasya': 'of Dhārtarāṣṭra (i.e., of Duryodhana, son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra)', 'pāpatām': 'sinfulness, wickedness, evil conduct', 'tathāpi (implied)': 'even so, nevertheless', 'avācyāḥ': 'blameworthy, censurable, deserving reproach', 'tu': 'but, indeed', 'bhaviṣyāmaḥ': 'we shall become', 'sarvaloke': 'in the whole world

• before everyone', 'mahīkṣitām': 'of the earth’s rulers, of kings'}

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Bhagavān (Kṛṣṇa)
• Mahārāja (addressed king)
• Dhārtarāṣṭra (Duryodhana)
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• mahīkṣit (kings/rulers of the earth)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when the opponent is known to be unrighteous, dharma requires making a sincere effort toward reconciliation; otherwise one becomes morally and socially blameworthy for not exhausting peaceful means before conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

Kṛṣṇa states that he fully understands Duryodhana’s sinful nature, yet insists on going to attempt a peace settlement, because failing to do so would make their side appear culpable before the wider community of kings.