Shloka 23
कृष्णेन विदुरं प्रति आगमन-हेतु-निवेदनम् / Krishna explains the purpose of his coming to Vidura
आशंसते वै धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्रो महाराज्यमसपत्नं॑ पृथिव्याम् | तस्मिज्छम: केवलो नोपलभ्यो बद्धं सन््तं मन्यते लब्धमर्थम्
āśaṃsate vai dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putro mahārājyam asapatnaṃ pṛthivyām | tasmiñ chamaḥ kevalo nopalabhyo baddhaṃ santaṃ manyate labdham artham ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana sprach: Dhṛtarāṣṭras Sohn (Duryodhana) sehnt sich nach einer unangefochtenen kaiserlichen Herrschaft über die Erde. Bei ihm ist bloße Beschwichtigung nicht zu erreichen, denn er hält die Gewinne, die er an sich gebracht hat—als rechtmäßigen Besitz an ihn gebunden—für bereits fest in seiner Hand; daher werden einfache Friedensbemühungen nicht gelingen.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
When a ruler is consumed by the desire for uncontested power and treats unjustly acquired gains as permanently his, mere conciliatory counsel cannot restrain him; ethical blindness makes peace unattainable and drives conflict toward war.
Vaiśaṃpāyana explains why negotiations are failing: Duryodhana hopes for sole imperial rule and mentally clings to what he has ‘won’ (notably through the dice episode) as bound to his authority, so simple proposals of peace will not persuade him.