Shloka 17
Jarāsandha–Vāsudeva Saṃvāda: Kṣātra-Dharma, Pride, and the Ethics of Coercion
Sabhā Parva, Adhyāya 20
यतो हि निम्नं भवति नयन्ति हि ततो जलम् । यतश्कछिद्रं ततश्चापि नयन्ते धीवरा जलम्
yato hi nimnaṃ bhavati nayanti hi tato jalam | yataś chidraṃ tataś cāpi nayante dhīvarā jalam ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Water is always led toward what lies lower; and where there is an opening or hollow, there too fishermen channel the water. In the same way, you should proceed by the means that are feasible—taking the course that circumstances naturally allow.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches pragmatic discernment: like water naturally moving toward lower ground and being guided through openings, wise action should follow the available channels and practical means without forcing what circumstances do not support.
Yudhiṣṭhira is offering counsel through a natural metaphor, urging others to choose a workable course of action—one aligned with existing conditions and opportunities—rather than insisting on an impractical approach.