Shloka 34
Sainyasaṅgraha and Bhāga-Vyavasthā (Forces Assembled and Rival Allocations) | सैन्यसंग्रह-भागव्यवस्था
येषामिन्द्रो5प्पकामानां न हरेत् पृथिवीमिमाम् । वीराणां रणधीराणां ये भिन्द्यु: पर्वतानपि
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca |
yeṣām indro 'lpaprakāmānāṁ na haret pṛthivīm imām |
vīrāṇāṁ raṇadhīrāṇāṁ ye bhindyur parvatān api, sañjaya ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “Sañjaya, those heroes—steadfast in battle—whose will is so formidable that even Indra, though desiring little for himself, could not seize this earth against them; those warriors who could even split mountains—against such Pāṇḍavas my wicked son Duryodhana still insists on making war, even as I cry out in protest.”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores the ethical blindness of obstinate ambition: even when the opposing side is manifestly powerful and righteous, attachment to pride and dominion can drive a leader (here, Duryodhana as referenced in context) toward ruin, despite wise warnings.
In Udyoga Parva, Dhṛtarāṣṭra speaks to Sañjaya while reflecting on the looming conflict. He acknowledges the extraordinary might of the Pāṇḍava side—so great that even Indra could not dispossess them—yet laments that his son persists in seeking war.