Shloka 3
द्रुपदवाक्यं
Drupada’s Counsel on Conciliation and Alliance Mobilization
इस प्रकार श्रीमहाभारत उद्योगपर्वके अन्तर्गत येनोट्योगपर्वनें सात्यकिका क्रोधपूर्ण वचनसम्बन्धी तीसरा अध्याय पूरा हुआ
baladevasya vākyaṃ tu mama jñāne na yujyate | etaddhi puruṣeṇāgre kāryaṃ sunayam icchatā | dhṛtarāṣṭraputra duryodhanase madhuraṃ vā nṛtāpūrṇaṃ vacanaṃ kena cid api prakāreṇa na yuktam | mamaiva matam—sa pāpapūrṇavicāraḥ, ataḥ mṛduvyavahāreṇa vaśam ānetuṃ na śakyaḥ |
“But Baladeva’s advice does not, in my understanding, seem fitting. A man who seeks sound policy should first do what I am about to state. To speak to Duryodhana, the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, in sweet or conciliatory words is not proper in any way. This is my view: his thoughts are sinful, and therefore he cannot be brought under control by gentle conduct.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage argues that ethical statecraft (su-naya) sometimes requires firm, unsparing speech: a person driven by sinful intent is not corrected by gentle persuasion, so one should not mistake sweetness of words for effective or righteous counsel.
The speaker rejects Baladeva’s proposed approach toward Duryodhana, asserting that conciliatory language is inappropriate because Duryodhana’s mindset is corrupt and he will not be restrained through mild treatment.