Shloka 27
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Duryodhana Dialogue on Peace and the Refusal of Compromise
महद् वो भयमागामि न चेच्छाम्यथ पाण्डवै: । गदया भीमसेनेन हता: शममुपैष्यथ
mahad vo bhayam āgāmi na cecchāmy atha pāṇḍavaiḥ | gadayā bhīmasenena hatāḥ śamam upaiṣyatha ||
A great danger is about to befall you. I do not wish that you should engage in battle with the Pāṇḍavas; for if it comes to that, you will be struck down by Bhīmasena’s mace and pass into the stillness of death forever.
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the inevitability of consequences in violent conflict: entering an unjust or ill-considered war invites destruction. It also shows how fear and self-interest can shape political counsel, contrasting with dharmic guidance that prioritizes justice and reconciliation.
Duryodhana addresses his side (his supporters/associates), warning that a great peril is imminent and expressing that he does not want them to fight the Pāṇḍavas—because Bhīma, famed for his strength and mace-fighting, would kill them, leading them to the final ‘peace’ of death.