Shloka 17
अध्याय २६ — युद्ध-निन्दा, काम-दोष, तथा धार्तराष्ट्र-नीति-विश्लेषण
War-aversion, Desire as a Policy Fault, and Analysis of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Governance
अप्रव्रज्येमा सम हित्वा55पुरस्ता- दात्माधीनं यद् बल॑ होतदासीत् । नित्यं च वश्या: सचिवास्तवेमे जनार्दनो युयुधानश्न वीर:
sañjaya uvāca |
apravrajyemā sama hitvā purastād ātmādhīnaṃ yad balaṃ hotad āsīt |
nityaṃ ca vaśyāḥ sacivās taveme janārdano yuyudhānaś ca vīraḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “Had we not withdrawn from our former course—abandoning the earlier, self-governed strength that was truly ours—then these ministers of yours would not have remained perpetually compliant. And Janardana (Krishna) and the hero Yuyudhana (Satyaki) as well (would not have been so restrained).”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical-political principle that a ruler’s true strength is self-governed (ātmādhīna). When that inner autonomy is abandoned, governance becomes distorted: advisers become merely compliant rather than truth-speaking, and even great allies or heroes may be constrained by the ruler’s weakened moral authority.
Sanjaya addresses Dhritarashtra, reflecting on how earlier strength and independence were relinquished. He remarks that as a result Dhritarashtra’s ministers remain submissive, and he names Krishna (Janardana) and Satyaki (Yuyudhana) in the same breath, indicating the wider political-military stakes and the way key figures are being held in check amid the escalating conflict.