Shloka 8
Udyoga Parva Adhyāya 92: Kṛṣṇasya sabhāpraveśaḥ
Krishna’s Entry into the Royal Assembly
सोऊहं यतिष्ये प्रशमं क्षत्त: कर्तुममायया । कुरूणां सृञ्जयानां च संग्रामे विनशिष्यताम्,अतः विदुरजी! मैं युद्धमें मर मिटनेको उद्यत हुए कौरवों तथा सूंजयोंमें संधि करानेका निश्छलभावसे प्रयत्न करूँगा
so ’haṁ yatiṣye praśamaṁ kṣattaḥ kartum amāyayā | kurūṇāṁ sṛñjayānāṁ ca saṅgrāme vinaśiṣyatām ||
Therefore I shall strive, O Kṣattṛ (Vidura), with guileless intent to bring about pacification and reconciliation between the Kurus and the Sṛñjayas—who, in the coming battle, are poised to perish. I will make an honest effort to forge peace among those rushing toward mutual destruction.
(वैशग्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when war seems inevitable, dharma demands a sincere, non-deceptive attempt at pacification (praśama). Ethical statecraft prioritizes preventing needless destruction through honest reconciliation efforts.
The speaker (Vaiśaṃpāyana, narrating) conveys an intention addressed to Vidura (Kṣattṛ): to try earnestly and without guile to broker peace between the Kurus and the Sṛñjayas, who are otherwise headed toward annihilation in battle.