Shloka 5
धन-राजधर्म संवादः
Discourse on Wealth and Royal Duty
क्लीबस्य हि कुतो राज्यं दीर्घसूत्रस्य वा पुन: । किमर्थ च महीपालानवधी: क्रोधमूर्छित:
klībasya hi kuto rājyaṃ dīrghasūtrasya vā punaḥ | kimarthaṃ ca mahīpālān avadhīḥ krodhamūrcchitaḥ ||
Arjuna said: “How could a eunuch or a coward ever obtain a kingdom? Or again, how could one who is sluggish and procrastinating attain it? If this was to be the outcome, then for what purpose—overwhelmed by anger—did you slay, and cause to be slain, so many kings?”
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights an ethical critique of violence driven by anger and the inconsistency of pursuing sovereignty without the courage and disciplined resolve required for righteous rule. It implies that kingship demands steadiness and purpose; otherwise, bloodshed becomes morally indefensible.
Arjuna challenges the rationale behind the slaughter of many kings, questioning why such massive killing occurred if the intended outcome is withdrawal, weakness, or indecision. His words frame a moral reckoning about the costs of war and the responsibility of those who initiate or enable it.