Shloka 28
धृतराष्ट्र-संजय संवादः — उपप्लव्यगमनाज्ञा
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Saṃjaya Dialogue: Command to Proceed to Upaplavya
तमसहां केशवं तत्र मत्वा सुग्रीवयुक्तेन रथेन कृष्णम् सम्प्राद्रव॑श्षेदिपतिं विहाय सिंहं दृष्टवा क्षुद्रमृूगा इवान्ये,सुग्रीव आदि घोड़ोंसे जुते हुए रथपर आरूढ़ होनेवाले श्रीकृष्णणो असहा मानकर चेदिराज शिशुपालके सिवा दूसरे भूपाल उसी प्रकार पलायन कर गये, जैसे सिंहको देखते ही जंगलके क्षुद्र पशु भाग जाते हैं न कर्मणा साधुनैकेन नूनं॑ सुखं शक्यं वै भवतीह संजय । सर्वात्मना परिजेतं वयं चे- न्न शवनुमो धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्रम् संजय! यदि हम धृतराष्ट्रपुत्र दुर्योधनको सभी उपायोंसे नहीं जीत सकते तो केवल एक अच्छे व्यवहारसे ही उसे सुखपूर्वक जीतना हमारे लिये निश्चय ही सम्भव नहीं है
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: tam asahāṃ Keśavaṃ tatra matvā Sugrīva-yuktena rathena Kṛṣṇam, samprādravac Cedi-patiṃ vihāya siṃhaṃ dṛṣṭvā kṣudra-mṛgā ivānye. Na karmaṇā sādhunā ekena nūnaṃ sukhaṃ śakyaṃ vai bhavatīha, Sañjaya; sarvātmanā parijetaṃ vayaṃ cen na śaknumo Dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putram.
Vaiśampāyana said: Taking Keśava—Kṛṣṇa—there to be irresistible as he mounted a chariot yoked with Sugrīva and other steeds, the other kings, leaving aside the lord of Cedi, fled away like small forest animals that scatter at the sight of a lion. And (the thought is this), Sañjaya: if we are not able to overcome Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s son by every means and with our whole strength, then surely it will not be possible here to secure peace and happiness merely by a single ‘good’ act or polite conduct. Ethical intention alone, without the power to restrain wrongdoing, cannot compel a hardened aggressor into concord.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Moral persuasion alone cannot secure peace when the opponent is unrestrained and power-driven; to protect dharma and establish stability, one must also have the capacity to check and subdue adharma through comprehensive means.
Kṛṣṇa appears as an overwhelming presence on his chariot; most kings panic and flee like small animals before a lion, with the Cedi king singled out. The passage then pivots to a sober assessment addressed to Sañjaya: without the ability to fully defeat Duryodhana, mere ‘good conduct’ will not bring about peace.