ऋषिसमागमः — युधिष्ठिरस्य शोकवर्णनम्
Sage Assembly and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Articulation of Grief
युधिष्ठटिरेण संधिं हि यदि कुर्या मते तव
yudhiṣṭhireṇa sandhiṃ hi yadi kuryā mate tava
Si, conforme a tu consejo, Yudhiṣṭhira llegara en verdad a pactar un tratado (buscar la reconciliación), entonces el rumbo de la acción se apartaría de la venganza y se inclinaría hacia la contención—depositando el peso de la elección en el dharma: si es posible abrazar la paz sin traicionar la justicia y los deberes debidos tras agravios tan atroces.
युधिछिर उवाच
The verse frames a dharmic dilemma: whether making sandhi (peace) is truly righteous when weighed against justice, duty, and the moral consequences of past wrongdoing. It highlights that counsel must be tested against ethical responsibility, not merely expediency.
A conditional proposal is raised: if Yudhiṣṭhira, following the addressee’s advice, were to pursue a treaty, the discussion shifts to evaluating peace as a deliberate moral choice—setting the stage for reflection on governance, restraint, and the aftermath of conflict.