Shloka 56
गदायुद्धप्रतिज्ञा — The Vow and Terms of the Mace Duel
यदि वापि समर्थ: स्यास्त्वं दानाय सुयोधन । नाहमिच्छेयमवर्निं त्वया दत्तां प्रशासितुम्
yadi vāpi samarthaḥ syās tvaṃ dānāya suyodhana | nāham iccheyam avarṇiṃ tvayā dattāṃ praśāsitum ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Even if you were capable of giving it away, O Suyodhana, I would not wish to govern a kingdom granted by you.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Legitimate kingship is not merely possession but moral right: Yudhiṣṭhira rejects sovereignty that would come as a concession from an unjust rival, implying that rule must be grounded in dharma and rightful order rather than in a tainted ‘gift’ that compromises honor and justice.
In the Shalya Parva context, amid the climactic tensions of the Kurukṣetra war, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Duryodhana (Suyodhana) and declares that even if Duryodhana were able to offer a kingdom, Yudhiṣṭhira would not accept or govern a realm granted by him—signaling refusal of compromise that would validate Duryodhana’s claim.