Shloka 21
Virāṭa-sabhāyāṃ Saṃniveśaḥ — Assembly at Virāṭa’s Hall and Kṛṣṇa’s Diplomatic Counsel
अतोडन्यथा तैरुपचर्यमाणा हन्यु: समेतान् धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रान् | तैर्विप्रकारं च निशम्य कार्य सुहृज्जनास्तान् परिवारयेयु:,यदि अब भी धृतराष्ट्रके पुत्र इनके साथ विपरीत व्यवहार ही करते रहेंगे--इनका राज्य नहीं लौटायेंगे, तो पाण्डव उन सबको मार डालेंगे। कौरवलोग पाण्डवोंके कार्यमें विघध्न डाल रहे हैं और उनकी बुराईपर ही तुले हुए हैं; यह बात निश्चितरूपसे जान लेनेपर सुहृदों और सम्बन्धियोंको उचित है कि वे उन दुष्ट कौरवोंको (इस प्रकार अत्याचार करनेसे) रोकें
atoḍa-nyathā tair upacaryamāṇā hanyuḥ sametān dhṛtarāṣṭra-putrān | tair viprakāraṃ ca niśamya kāryaṃ suhṛj-janās tān parivārayeyuḥ ||
If, even now, the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra persist in hostility and refuse to restore the kingdom that is rightfully theirs, then the Pāṇḍavas—driven to the last resort—will slay the assembled Kauravas. Knowing for certain that the Kauravas are set on obstructing the Pāṇḍavas’ rightful course and intent on harming them, it is the duty of well-wishers and kinsmen to restrain those wrongdoers from further oppression, so that ruin is averted and dharma is protected.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
When injustice and deliberate obstruction persist, the responsibility for preventing catastrophe falls on well-wishers and elders: they should restrain wrongdoers early. The verse frames war as a foreseeable consequence of unchecked adharma, urging timely intervention to protect dharma and avert mass destruction.
In the opening of Udyoga Parva, Kṛṣṇa articulates the danger of the Kauravas’ continued hostile stance—refusing to return the Pāṇḍavas’ kingdom and actively undermining them. He warns that this will drive the Pāṇḍavas to kill Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons, and therefore calls upon friends and relatives to restrain the Kauravas from oppressive conduct.