Shloka 55
Dharma-śaṅkā-nivāraṇa: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Response on Karma-Phala and Trust in Dharma
यत्र धीमानवेक्षेत श्रेयांसं बहुभिगुणै: । साम्नैवार्थ ततो लिप्सेत् कर्म चास्मै प्रयोजयेत्,जहाँ बुद्धिमान् पुरुष शत्रुको अनेक गुणोंसे श्रेष्ठ देखे, वहाँ सामनीतिसे ही काम बनानेकी इच्छा करे और उसके लिये जो सन्धि आदि आवश्यक कर्तव्य हो, करे
yatra dhīmān avekṣeta śreyāṁsaṁ bahubhir guṇaiḥ | sāmnaivārthaṁ tato lipsēt karma cāsmai prayojayet ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Where a wise man perceives another to be superior by many virtues, there he should seek to accomplish his purpose through conciliation alone; and for that end he should undertake the necessary duties—such as making peace or allied measures—appropriate to the situation.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
When facing someone superior in virtues and strength, a wise person should prioritize sāmā (conciliation) to achieve legitimate aims, and then perform the practical steps required for peace—such as treaty-making—rather than rushing into hostility.
Yudhiṣṭhira articulates a principle of statecraft and ethical conduct: assessing relative merit and power, and choosing a non-violent, conciliatory strategy (sāma) with appropriate follow-through actions like sandhi, emphasizing restraint and prudence.