Shloka 14
Udyoga Parva, Adhyaya 52: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Appraisal of Pāṇḍava Strength and the Case for Restraint
तैरयुद्धं साधु मनन््ये कुरवस्तन्निबोधत । युद्धे विनाश: कृत्स्नस्यथ कुलस्य भविता ध्रुवम्
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | tair yuddhaṃ sādhu manye kuravas tan nibodhata | yuddhe vināśaḥ kṛtsnasyātha kulasya bhavitā dhruvam ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra dit : «Je tiens pour meilleur que les Kurus ne fassent pas la guerre contre eux ; comprenez-le bien. Si la guerre est livrée, la ruine entière de toute la lignée s’ensuivra à coup sûr. Telle est ma conclusion la plus ferme, et c’est par cette résolution que mon esprit trouve la paix. Si vous aussi souhaitez qu’il n’y ait pas de guerre, alors efforçons-nous de parvenir à la réconciliation.»
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
Dhṛtarāṣṭra frames war as ethically and pragmatically disastrous: even victory would be hollow if it annihilates the entire lineage. The verse emphasizes foresight, restraint, and the duty to pursue peace when the cost of conflict is collective ruin.
In Udyoga Parva, as negotiations and preparations intensify, Dhṛtarāṣṭra addresses the Kurus, urging them to understand that war with the Pāṇḍavas will inevitably bring total destruction to the family, and he proposes striving for peace instead.