Shloka 12
सेनापति-निर्णयः तथा पाण्डवसेनायाः कुरुक्षेत्रगमनम्
Decision on Command and the Pandavas’ March to Kurukshetra
निर्भर्त्सयित्वा राज्ञस्तांस्तृणीकृत्य सुयोधनम् । राधेयं भीषयित्वा च सौबलं च पुन: पुनः:,समस्त राजाओंको डाँट बताकर दुर्योधनको तिनकेके समान समझकर तथा राधानन्दन कर्ण और सुबलपुत्र शकुनिको बार-बार डराकर जूएसे धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रोंकी निन्दा करके वाणी तथा गुप्त मन्त्रणाद्वारा सब राजाओंके मनमें अनेक बार भेद उत्पन्न करनेके पश्चात् फिर सामसहित दानकी बात उठायी, जिससे कुरुवंशकी एकता बनी रहे और अभीष्ट कार्यकी सिद्धि हो जाय
nirbhartsayitvā rājñas tāṁs tṛṇīkṛtya suyodhanam | rādheyaṁ bhīṣayitvā ca saubalaṁ ca punaḥ punaḥ ||
Vāyu said: “After rebuking those kings, treating Suyodhana as no more than a straw, and repeatedly intimidating Rādheya (Karna) and Saubala (Śakuni), he went on censuring the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra. By speech and by secret counsel he again and again sowed dissension in the minds of the assembled rulers; then he raised the proposal of conciliation together with gifts, so that the unity of the Kuru line might be preserved and the desired objective be accomplished.”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical danger of manipulating assemblies through harsh speech and secret plotting to create divisions, even when later presenting conciliation and gifts. It implicitly contrasts genuine peacemaking with strategic, self-serving diplomacy that undermines unity (saṅgha/vaṁśa-saṁhati) and dharma.
Vāyu describes a political actor’s sequence of tactics: first rebuking and belittling Duryodhana, then repeatedly intimidating Karna and Śakuni, publicly criticizing Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons, and privately fomenting discord among the gathered kings. After destabilizing the group, he shifts to proposing conciliation along with gifts, aiming to keep the Kuru clan united and secure a desired outcome.