Shloka 1
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Duryodhana Dialogue on Peace and the Refusal of Compromise
ऑपन-माजल बछ। जि अष्टपञ्चाशत्तमो< ध्याय: धृतराष्ट्रका दुर्योधनको संधिके लिये समझाना, दुर्योधनका अहंकारपूर्वक पाण्डवोसे युद्ध करनेका ही निश्चय तथा धृतराष्ट्रका अन्य योद्धाओंको युद्धसे भय दिखाना धृतराष्ट उवाच क्षत्रतेजा ब्रह्मबचारी कौमारादपि पाण्डव: । तेन संयुगमेष्यन्ति मन्दा विलपतो मम,धृतराष्ट्र बोले--संजय! पाण्थुपुत्र युधिष्ठिर क्षात्र-तेजसे सम्पन्न हैं। उन्होंने कुमारावस्थासे ही विधि-पूर्वक ब्रह्मचर्यका पालन किया है, परंतु मेरे ये मूर्ख पुत्र मेरे विलापकी ओर ध्यान न देकर उन्हीं युधिष्ठिरके साथ युद्ध छेड़नेवाले हैं
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | kṣatratejā brahmacārī kaumārād api pāṇḍavaḥ | tena saṃyugam eṣyanti mandā vilapato mama ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “Sañjaya, the Pāṇḍava (Yudhiṣṭhira) is endowed with the splendor and power of a kṣatriya, and from boyhood he has observed brahmacarya in due discipline. Yet my foolish sons, disregarding my lament, are determined to enter into battle with him.”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dhṛtarāṣṭra highlights the ethical contrast: a disciplined, dharma-oriented ruler like Yudhiṣṭhira is not an easy or unjust target, yet pride and folly can drive people to ignore wise restraint and choose destructive war.
In Udyoga Parva’s diplomacy phase, Dhṛtarāṣṭra speaks to Sañjaya, acknowledging Yudhiṣṭhira’s kṣatriya strength and disciplined conduct, while grieving that his own sons will not heed his distress and are set on fighting the Pāṇḍavas.