Shloka 18
स नाम सम्यग वर्तेत पाण्डवेष्विति माधव । न मे संजायते बुद्धिर्बीजमुप्तमिवोषरे,माधव! वही दुर्योधन अब पाण्डवोंके साथ अच्छा बर्ताव करेगा, ऐसी बात मेरी बुद्धिमें जँच नहीं रही है। उसके साथ संधिका सारा प्रयत्न ऊसरमें बोये हुए बीजकी भाँति व्यर्थ ही है
sa nāma samyag varteta pāṇḍaveṣv iti mādhava | na me sañjāyate buddhir bījam uptam ivoṣare ||
Arjuna said: “O Mādhava, the thought that Duryodhana would truly conduct himself rightly toward the Pāṇḍavas does not arise in my mind. Any attempt at making peace with him is futile—like seed sown in barren soil.”
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Arjuna expresses ethical realism: peace-making requires a counterpart capable of right conduct. When a person is firmly set against dharma, negotiation becomes fruitless—symbolized by seed wasted on barren ground.
In the lead-up to the Kurukṣetra war, Arjuna speaks to Kṛṣṇa (Mādhava), doubting that Duryodhana will ever treat the Pāṇḍavas justly. He argues that efforts toward a treaty with Duryodhana will not bear results.