Shloka 70

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 71 — Kṣatra-dharma Counsel, Public Legitimacy, and Mobilization

Devanagari script

प्रतिघातेन सान्त्वस्य दारुणं सम्प्रवर्तते । तच्छुनामिव सम्पाते पण्डितैरुपलक्षितम्‌,जब शान्तिके प्रयत्नोंमें बाधा आती है, तब भयंकर युद्ध स्वतः आरम्भ हो जाता है। पण्डितोंने इस युद्धकी उपमा कुत्तोंक कलहसे दी है

Transliteration

pratighātena sāntvasya dāruṇaṁ sampravartate | tacchunām iva sampāte paṇḍitair upalakṣitam ||

Translation

Yudhiṣṭhira dijo: «Cuando los esfuerzos de conciliación son golpeados y obstruidos, una guerra terrible comienza por sí sola. Los sabios reconocen este patrón—como el choque repentino de perros—en que una pequeña provocación, si no se contiene, se convierte pronto en combate abierto».

Word by Word

प्रतिघातेनby/through obstruction, by a counter-blow

सान्त्वस्यof conciliation/appeasement

दारुणम्terrible, dreadful

सम्प्रवर्ततेbegins, sets in, comes into operation

तत्that (i.e., that terrible thing/war)

शुनाम्of dogs

इवlike, as

सम्पातेin a clash/encounter, at the onset of a collision

पण्डितैःby the learned/wise

उपलक्षितम्is observed/recognized, is characterized

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

dogs (as a simile)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

If sincere attempts at reconciliation are blocked, violence tends to arise automatically; therefore dharmic leadership must remove obstacles to peace early, before conflict becomes self-propelling and irrational.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations, Yudhiṣṭhira reflects on how failed peace-making can quickly tip into inevitable war, illustrating the danger with the image of dogs suddenly colliding and fighting.