Shloka 9
Nakula’s Adaptive Counsel to Kṛṣṇa in the Kuru Assembly (उद्योगपर्व, अध्याय ७८)
अन्तरेण वध पार्थ सानुबन्ध: सुयोधन: । कुन्तीनन्दन! अपने सगे-सम्बन्धियोंसहित दुर्योधन जबतक मारा नहीं जायगा, तबतक वह राज्यभाग देकर कदापि संधि नहीं करेगा ।।
arjuna uvāca | antareṇa vadha pārtha sānubandhaḥ suyodhanaḥ | kuntīnandana! apane sage-sambandhiyoṃ-sahit duryodhana jabatak mārā nahīṃ jāyagā, tabatak vah rājyabhāga dekar kadāpi sandhi nahīṃ karegā || 8 || na cāpi praṇipātena tyaktum icchati dharmarāṭ | yācyamānaś ca rājyaṃ sa na pradāsyati durmatiḥ | dharmarāja yudhiṣṭhira bhī namratāpūrvak sandhi ke liye apanā rājya choṛnā nahīṃ chāhate haiṃ | udhar durbuddhi duryodhana māṅgane par bhī rājya nahīṃ degā |
Arjuna sprach: «O Pārtha, solange Suyodhana (Duryodhana) nicht erschlagen ist—mitsamt seinen Anhängern—kann es keinen Ausgleich geben. Solange Duryodhana mit seinen Verwandten und Verbündeten am Leben ist, wird er niemals Frieden schließen, indem er einen Anteil am Reich gewährt. Auch Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira) will seinen rechtmäßigen Anspruch nicht bloß durch demütiges Niederwerfen preisgeben; und jener Mann von bösem Sinn wird, selbst wenn man ihn anfleht, das Reich nicht herausgeben.»
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts two moral-political stances: Yudhiṣṭhira’s commitment to dharma and rightful order (not abandoning justice merely through submissive gestures) versus Duryodhana’s obstinate adharma (refusing even a fair share when requested). It implies that peace requires ethical willingness; when one side is incurably unjust, conflict becomes unavoidable.
Arjuna argues that negotiations will fail unless Duryodhana and his supporting faction are removed, because Duryodhana will not concede any portion of the kingdom. He also notes that Yudhiṣṭhira is not prepared to renounce the claim simply by making humble overtures, and that Duryodhana will not yield even when begged—setting the stage for war.