Shloka 35
विदुरस्य कृष्णं प्रति शमोपदेशः
Vidura’s Counsel to Krishna on the Limits of Peace
तमभ्यगच्छद् द्रोणश्व॒ कृपो भीष्मो5थ बाह्लिक:ः । कुरवश्न महाबाहुं विदुरस्य गृहे स्थितम्,उस समय द्रोणाचार्य, कृपाचार्य, भीष्म, बाह्नलीक तथा अन्य कौरवोंने भी महाबाहु श्रीकृष्णका अनुसरण किया। विदुरके घरमें ठहरे हुए यदुवंशी वीर मधुसूदनसे वे सब कौरव बोले--'वृष्णिनन्दन! हमलोग रत्न-धनसे सम्पन्न अपने घरोंको आपकी सेवामें समर्पित करते हैं!
tam abhyagacchad droṇaś ca kṛpo bhīṣmo ’tha bāhlikaḥ | kuravaś ca mahābāhuṃ vidurasya gṛhe sthitam ||
Then Droṇa, Kṛpa, Bhīṣma, and Bāhlīka—along with the other Kurus—approached the mighty-armed one (Kṛṣṇa) who was staying in Vidura’s house. They said to the Vṛṣṇi hero: “O Vārṣṇeya, we place at your service our homes, rich with jewels.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a moral tension in statecraft: powerful leaders may try to secure support through wealth, honor, and offerings, but such persuasion is ethically ambiguous when detached from dharma. It implicitly contrasts external inducements with the inner standard of righteousness that Kṛṣṇa is expected to uphold.
As the war crisis nears, senior Kuru figures—Droṇa, Kṛpa, Bhīṣma, and Bāhlīka—along with other Kauravas, go to Vidura’s house where Kṛṣṇa is staying. They address him respectfully and attempt to win his favor by offering their prosperous homes and wealth in his service.