Shloka 22
नाथर्मे ते धीयते पार्थ बुद्धि- न संरम्भात् कर्म चकर्थ पापम् । आत्थ कि तत् कारणं यस्य हेतो: प्रज्ञाविरुद्धं कर्म चिकीर्षमीदम्,कुन्तीनन्दन! आपकी बुद्धि कभी अधर्ममें नहीं लगती तथा आपने क्रोधमें आकर भी कभी पापकर्म नहीं किया है, तो बताइये, कौन-सा ऐसा (प्रबल) कारण है, जिसके लिये अब आप अपनी बुद्धिके विरुद्ध यह युद्ध-जैसा पापकर्म करना चाहते हैं?
sañjaya uvāca | nātharme te dhīyate pārtha buddhir na saṃrambhāt karma cakartha pāpam | āttha ki tat kāraṇaṃ yasya hetoḥ prajñāviruddhaṃ karma cikīrṣam idam ||
Sañjaya said: “O Pārtha, your mind never turns toward unrighteousness, and even in anger you have never committed a sinful deed. Tell me then—what compelling cause is it, for whose sake you now wish to undertake this act, opposed to your own better judgment, a deed as sinful as war?”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a person known for dharmic restraint should not act from impulse or against clear discernment; if one is about to do a grave act like war, it must be justified by a compelling and ethically defensible cause rather than anger or confusion.
Sañjaya addresses Pārtha (Arjuna), reminding him of his established character—never inclined to adharma and never committing sin even in anger—and presses him to explain what strong reason could make him now intend a war-like act that seems contrary to his own wisdom.