Shloka 29
ऋषिसमागमः — युधिष्ठिरस्य शोकवर्णनम्
Sage Assembly and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Articulation of Grief
युधिष्ठटिरेण संधिं हि यदि कुर्या मते तव
yudhiṣṭhireṇa sandhiṃ hi yadi kuryā mate tava
If, in accordance with your counsel, Yudhiṣṭhira were indeed to make a treaty (seek reconciliation), then the course of action would turn from vengeance to restraint—placing the burden of choice on dharma: whether peace can be embraced without betraying justice and the duties owed after grievous wrongs.
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharmic dilemma: whether making sandhi (peace) is truly righteous when weighed against justice, duty, and the moral consequences of past wrongdoing. It highlights that counsel must be tested against ethical responsibility, not merely expediency.
A conditional proposal is raised: if Yudhiṣṭhira, following the addressee’s advice, were to pursue a treaty, the discussion shifts to evaluating peace as a deliberate moral choice—setting the stage for reflection on governance, restraint, and the aftermath of conflict.