Shloka 26

भीष्मद्रोणयोर्दुर्योधनं प्रति शान्त्युपदेशः | Bhīṣma and Droṇa’s Counsel to Duryodhana for Pacification

Devanagari script

वासुदेवेन तीर्थेन तात गच्छस्व संशमम्‌ । कालप्राप्तमिदं मन्ये मा त्वं दुर्योधनातिगा:

Transliteration

vāsudevena tīrthena tāta gacchasva saṃśamam | kālaprāptam idaṃ manye mā tvaṃ duryodhanātigāḥ ||

Translation

Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “Dear one, go to reconciliation by the sacred means associated with Vāsudeva. I consider this the moment ordained by time; do not let Duryodhana overtake you in initiative or advantage.”

Word by Word

वासुदेवेनby/with Vāsudeva

तीर्थेनby/with the sacred ford/place of pilgrimage

तातO dear one / O son

गच्छस्वgo (for yourself)

संशमम्to pacification / to calmness

कालप्राप्तम्arrived at its time / timely

इदम्this

मन्येI think / I consider

माdo not

त्वम्you

दुर्योधनात्from Duryodhana

इगा:you should go / you go (in prohibitive: do not go)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśaṃpāyana

Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa)

Duryodhana

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Seize the timely opportunity for reconciliation through righteous mediation (here linked with Vāsudeva/Kṛṣṇa), and do not allow an adversary to gain strategic or moral advantage by acting first; ethical leadership includes prompt, peace-oriented initiative when Kāla makes it possible.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations, the narrator Vaiśaṃpāyana reports counsel urging a party to pursue pacification via Vāsudeva’s auspicious agency, emphasizing that the moment is ripe and warning not to be outmaneuvered by Duryodhana.