Shloka 13

द्रौणि-पार्षतयोर्युद्धम् | The Duel of Aśvatthāmā

Drauṇi) and Dhṛṣṭadyumna (Pārṣata

Devanagari script

शमकाम: ससोदर्यों दीर्घप्रेक्षी युधिष्ठिर: । अशक्त इति मत्वा तु मम पुत्रैर्निराकृत:,दूरदर्शी युधिष्ठिर अपने भाइयोंसहित संधिकी अभिलाषा रखते थे; परंतु उन्हें असमर्थ मानकर मेरे पुत्रोंने उनकी बात ठुकरा दी

Transliteration

śamakāmaḥ sa-sodaryaḥ dīrghaprekṣī yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | aśakta iti matvā tu mama putrair nirākṛtaḥ ||

Translation

Sañjaya said: Yudhiṣṭhira—far-sighted and accompanied by his brothers—desired reconciliation and peace. But my sons, judging him to be powerless, rejected his proposal, choosing pride and force over a dharmic settlement.

Word by Word

शमकामःdesiring peace

ससोदर्यैःwith (his) brothers

दीर्घप्रेक्षीfar-seeing, long-sighted

युधिष्ठिरःYudhiṣṭhira

अशक्तःunable, powerless

इतिthus

मत्वाhaving thought/considered

तुbut, however

ममof me, my

पुत्रैःby (my) sons

निराकृतःrejected, turned away

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

Yudhiṣṭhira

Yudhiṣṭhira’s brothers (Pāṇḍavas collectively)

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons (Kauravas collectively)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A dharmic leader seeks peace with foresight, but when opponents mistake restraint for weakness, they may reject reconciliation—showing how arrogance and misjudgment can intensify conflict and moral downfall.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya reports that Yudhiṣṭhira, with his brothers, wished for a settlement; however, Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons dismissed the offer, believing him incapable—thereby closing the door to peace.