Shloka 13
Virāṭa-sabhāyāṃ Saṃniveśaḥ — Assembly at Virāṭa’s Hall and Kṛṣṇa’s Diplomatic Counsel
एतै: परप्रेष्पनियोगयुक्ति- रिच्छद्धिराप्तं स्वकुलेन राज्यम् । एवंगते धर्मसुतस्य राज्ञो दुर्योधनस्यापि च यद्धितं स्थात्,अपनी कुलपरम्परासे प्राप्त हुए राज्यकी अभिलाषासे ही इन वीरोंने अबतक अज्ञातावस्थामें दूसरोंकी सेवामें संलग्न रहकर तेरहवाँ वर्ष पूरा किया है। ऐसी परिस्थितिमें जिस उपायसे धर्मपुत्र युधिष्ठिर तथा राजा दुर्योधनका भी हित हो, उसका आपलोग विचार करें। आप कोई ऐसा मार्ग ढूँढ़ निकालें, जो इन कुरुश्रेष्ठ वीरोंके लिये धर्मानुकूल, न्यायोचित तथा यशकी वृद्धि करनेवाला हो। धर्मराज युधिष्ठिर यदि धर्मके विरुद्ध देवताओंका भी राज्य प्राप्त होता हो, तो उसे लेना नहीं चाहेंगे
etaiḥ parapreṣpa-niyoga-yukti-ricchadbhiḥ āptaṁ svakulena rājyam | evaṁgate dharmasutasya rājño duryodhanasyāpi ca yaddhitaṁ sthāt |
Kṛṣṇa said: “Driven by the desire to regain the kingdom that rightly belongs to them by ancestral succession, these heroes have, until now, lived in concealment and completed the thirteenth year by taking service under others. Now that matters have come to this pass, you should deliberate on a course by which the welfare of King Yudhiṣṭhira, the son of Dharma, and also that of King Duryodhana may be secured. Find a path that is in harmony with dharma, just, and conducive to the increase of good fame for these foremost of the Kurus. For Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira would not accept even the sovereignty of the gods if it were to be obtained by violating dharma.”
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Political settlement must be pursued through dharma: the right course is one that is just, mutually beneficial, and reputation-enhancing, and Yudhiṣṭhira’s integrity is such that he will not accept even supreme power if it requires violating dharma.
After the Pāṇḍavas have completed their period of exile and the thirteenth year in concealment, Kṛṣṇa frames the situation as a moment for counsel: the assembly should seek a dharmic solution that protects the interests of both Yudhiṣṭhira and Duryodhana and avoids an unrighteous outcome.