Shloka 16

कृष्ण-दूतविषये दुर्योधनस्य बन्धन-प्रस्तावः — Duryodhana’s Proposal to Detain Krishna

Envoy-Ethics Debate

Devanagari script

शममिच्छति दाशार्हस्तव दुर्योधनस्य च । पाण्डवानां च राजेन्द्र तदस्थ वचन कुरु

Transliteration

śamam icchati dāśārhas tava duryodhanasya ca | pāṇḍavānāṃ ca rājendra tad astha vacanaṃ kuru, rājendra |

Translation

Vidura dijo: «Oh rey, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, gloria del linaje Dāśārha, busca la reconciliación—entre vos, Duryodhana y los Pāṇḍavas—para que se establezca la paz. Por ello, oh el mejor de los reyes, aceptad y obrad conforme a su consejo.»

Word by Word

• शमम्: peace, pacification
• शमम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• इच्छति: wishes, desires
• इच्छति: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (इच्छ)
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada

• दाशार्हः: the Dasharha (Krishna, of the Dasharha clan)
• दाशार्हः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाशार्ह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• तव: of you, your
• तव: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: —, Genitive, Singular

• दुर्योधनस्य: of Duryodhana
• दुर्योधनस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्योधन
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• पाण्डवानाम्: of the Pandavas
• पाण्डवानाम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Plural

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings (O best of kings)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• तत्: that (request/statement)
• तत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: तद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• अस्य: of him, his
• अस्य: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular

• वचनम्: word, statement, instruction
• वचनम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• कुरु: do, carry out, comply with
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ
• Form: Imperative, Second, Singular, Parasmaipada

• राजेन्द्र: O king (repeated address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

Speaker

विदुर उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vidura
• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Duryodhana
• Pāṇḍavas
• Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

A ruler should prioritize peace and heed wise, impartial counsel—especially when offered by a trusted mediator like Kṛṣṇa—because accepting reconciliation is ethically superior to persisting in pride-driven conflict.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the lead-up to war, Vidura urges Dhṛtarāṣṭra to accept Kṛṣṇa’s peace initiative, which aims to reconcile Duryodhana and the Pāṇḍavas and avert the impending catastrophe.