Shloka 1
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय २५: संजयदूतवाक्यम्
Sañjaya’s Envoy-Speech on Peace
2: बछ। अर षड्विशो<5ध्याय: युधिष्ठिरका संजयको इन्द्रप्रस्थ लौटानेसे ही शान्ति होना सम्भव बतलाना युधिष्ठिर उदाच कां नु वाचं संजय मे शृणोषि युद्धैषिणीं येन युद्धाद् बिभेषि । अयुद्धं वै तात युद्धाद् गरीय: कस्तल्लब्ध्वा जातु युद्धयेत सूत
yudhiṣṭhira uvāca | kā nu vācaṃ sañjaya me śṛṇoṣi yuddhaiṣiṇīṃ yena yuddād bibheṣi | ayuddhaṃ vai tāta yuddād garīyaḥ kastal labdhvā jātu yuddhayet sūta ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “What sort of words of mine, Sañjaya, have you heard that make you think I am eager for war, so that you now fear war on my account? Dear one, refraining from battle is indeed weightier than battling. O charioteer, who—having obtained the chance to avoid war—would ever choose to enter it?”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Yudhiṣṭhira asserts an ethical preference for peace: if a genuine opportunity to avoid war exists, choosing non-violence and restraint is ‘greater’ than pursuing battle, and war should not be treated as desirable.
In the Udyoga Parva’s negotiations phase, Yudhiṣṭhira responds to Sañjaya’s apprehension that the Pāṇḍavas want war. He denies any warlike intent and emphasizes that avoiding war is the better course when possible.