Shloka 37

Devanagari script

त॑ विदित्वा पराक्रान्तं वशे न कुरुते यदि । निवदिरनिविदेदेनमन्ततस्तद्‌ भविष्यति,यदि शत्रुको पराक्रमसम्पन्न जानकर अपनी असमर्थताके कारण उसे वशमें न कर सके तो उसे विश्वसनीय दूतोंद्वारा साम एवं दान नीतिका प्रयोग करके अनुकूल बना ले (जिससे वह आक्रमण न करके शान्त बैठा रहे)। ऐसा करनेसे अन्ततोगत्वा उसका वशीकरण हो जायगा

Transliteration

taṁ viditvā parākrāntaṁ vaśe na kurute yadi | nivedair anivedyenaṁ antatas tad bhaviṣyati, yadi śatruko parākramasampanna jānkar apanī asamarthatāke kāraṇ use vaśameṁ na kar sake to use viśvasanīya dūtoṁdvārā sāma evaṁ dāna nītikā prayog karke anukūl banā le (jisse vah ākramaṇ na karke śānta baiṭhā rahe) | aisā karanese antogatvā usakā vaśīkaraṇ ho jāygā

Translation

“Reconocido el adversario como poderoso, si por falta de fuerza no puede uno someterlo por la violencia, entonces debe, por medio de emisarios dignos de confianza, emplear la conciliación (sāma) y los dones (dāna) para ganarlo y mantenerlo sosegado en vez de agresivo. Con tales medidas, al fin quedará bajo la propia influencia.”

Word by Word

• [{'term': 'viditvā', 'definition': 'having known/understood, after recognizing'}, {'term': 'parākrānta / parākrama-sampanna', 'definition': 'mighty, endowed with valor and strength'}, {'term': 'vaśe (kartuṁ)', 'definition': 'to bring under control, to subdue, to win over'}, {'term': 'yadi', 'definition': 'if'}, {'term': 'niveda', 'definition': 'message, representation

• (here) diplomatic approach via envoys'}, {'term': 'dūta', 'definition': 'messenger, envoy'}, {'term': 'viśvasanīya', 'definition': 'trustworthy, reliable'}, {'term': 'sāma', 'definition': 'conciliation, gentle persuasion'}, {'term': 'dāna', 'definition': 'gift, concession, inducement'}, {'term': 'nīti', 'definition': 'policy, statecraft, prudent strategy'}, {'term': 'anukūla', 'definition': 'favorable, compliant, well-disposed'}, {'term': 'antatas / antogatvā', 'definition': 'in the end, ultimately'}, {'term': 'bhaviṣyati', 'definition': 'it will happen

Speaker

पुत्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• śatru (enemy/adversary)
• dūta (envoys/messengers)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

When direct subjugation is not feasible against a strong opponent, wise policy recommends non-violent instruments of statecraft—conciliation and strategic giving—through reliable envoys, aiming to prevent aggression and secure eventual compliance.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s counsel on political strategy before war, the speaker (the son) advises a ruler on handling a powerful enemy: if force cannot control him, use diplomatic messaging via trustworthy envoys and apply sāma (conciliation) and dāna (gifts/concessions) to neutralize hostility.