Shloka 9
Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 72 — Bhīmasena’s counsel on conciliation and Duryodhana’s disposition
नानुक्रोशान्न कार्पण्यान्न च धर्मार्थकारणात् । अलं कर्तु धार्तराष्ट्रस्तव काममरिंदम
nā’nukrośān na kārpaṇyān na ca dharmārthakāraṇāt | alaṁ kartuṁ dhārtarāṣṭras tava kāmam ariṁdama śatrumardana nareśa ||
Yudhiṣṭhira sprach: „Weder aus Mitleid, noch aus erbärmlicher Schwäche, noch auch um des Dharma oder des weltlichen Vorteils willen werden die Söhne Dhṛtarāṣṭras bereit sein, deinen Wunsch zu erfüllen. O Bezwinger der Feinde, o König—glaube nicht, sie würden deine Bitte aus Barmherzigkeit, aus Selbsterniedrigung oder aus Achtung vor Recht und Staatsklugheit gewähren.“
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Yudhiṣṭhira warns against naïve expectations in moral and political conflict: entrenched hostility and ambition are not softened merely by appeals to compassion, humility, or even dharma and pragmatic benefit. Ethical counsel here includes clear-eyed assessment of an opponent’s motives.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses a king (contextually a Pandava ally/leader in counsel) and cautions that the Dhārtarāṣṭras—Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons led by Duryodhana—will not grant the requested settlement out of mercy or righteousness, foreshadowing the failure of peace efforts.