Shloka 16
Udyoga Parva Adhyāya 92: Kṛṣṇasya sabhāpraveśaḥ
Krishna’s Entry into the Royal Assembly
नमां ब्रूयुरधर्मिष्ठा मूढा हासुहृदस्तथा । शक्तो नावारयत् कृष्ण: संरब्धान् कुरुपाण्डवान्
na māṃ brūyur adharmiṣṭhā mūḍhā hāsuhṛdas tathā | śakto nāvārayat kṛṣṇaḥ saṃrabdhān kuru-pāṇḍavān ||
Mögen die Unrechtgesinnten, die Verblendeten und die Feindseligen nicht von mir sagen: „Obwohl er es vermochte, hielt Kṛṣṇa die vor Zorn entbrannten Kurus und Pāṇḍavas nicht vom Krieg zurück.“ Darum will auch ich mich bemühen, eine Versöhnung herbeizuführen.
(वैशग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even one who is powerful and capable is expected to attempt restraint and reconciliation; otherwise hostile critics may accuse him of neglecting dharma. The verse highlights moral accountability: the duty to try to prevent destructive conflict when possible.
In the lead-up to the great war, the speaker expresses concern that people will blame Kṛṣṇa for not stopping the furious Kurus and Pāṇḍavas. This motivates a renewed effort toward peace and settlement rather than allowing war to proceed unchecked.