Shloka 16
अध्याय ६ — युधिष्ठिरस्य वैराग्य-वाक्यं धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनगमनाभिलाषश्च
Chapter 6: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Renunciatory Appeal and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Resolve for the Forest
कौन्तेय तं न हिंसेत् स यो महीं विजिगीषते । गणानां भेदने योगमीप्सेथा: सह मन्सत्रिभि:,कुन्तीकुमार! जो समूची पृथ्वीपर विजय पाना चाहता हो, वह तो कदापि उस (सामन्त)-की हिंसा न करे। तुम अपने मन्त्रियोंसहित सदा शत्रुगणोंमें फूट डालनेकी इच्छा रखना
Kaunteya taṁ na hiṁset sa yo mahīṁ vijigīṣate | gaṇānāṁ bhedane yogam īpsethāḥ saha mantribhiḥ ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “O son of Kuntī, one who seeks to conquer the whole earth should never harm that (neighboring) subordinate ruler. Rather, together with your ministers, you should constantly aim at the strategic means of creating divisions among the enemy’s factions.”
धघतयाट्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches a principle of rāja-nīti: a would-be universal conqueror should avoid needless violence against a neighboring subordinate ruler and instead employ counsel-driven strategy—especially creating dissension among hostile factions—to secure victory with minimal direct harm.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra addresses “Kaunteya” and offers political counsel: do not kill the local subordinate/neighboring ruler; work with ministers to weaken enemies by splitting their groups, indicating a shift from brute force to calculated diplomacy and internal disruption of opponents.