Shloka 58
अनुबन्धश्न पापोजअत्र शेषश्चाप्यवशिष्यते | शेषो हि बलमासाद्य न शेषमनुशेषयेत्
anubandhaś ca pāpo 'tra śeṣaś cāpy avaśiṣyate | śeṣo hi balam āsādya na śeṣam anuśeṣayet ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “In this matter, the aftermath itself is sinful, and some remnant will still remain. For the survivor, once he has gained strength, does not leave any remnant behind—he goes on to eliminate what is left.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Yudhiṣṭhira highlights the moral and practical danger of violent conflict: its ‘aftermath’ is inherently tainted, and leaving a surviving remnant can invite renewed hostility, since a survivor who regains strength may seek to eradicate the remaining opposition.
In the Udyoga Parva’s deliberations before the great war, Yudhiṣṭhira reflects on the grim logic of enmity and retaliation: even if one side is reduced, a surviving remainder can later return with power, escalating destruction and deepening sin.