Shloka 9
Udyoga Parva, Adhyaya 52: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Appraisal of Pāṇḍava Strength and the Case for Restraint
मित्रामात्यै: सुसम्पन्न: सम्पन्नो युद्धयोजकै:ः । भ्रातृभि: श्वशुरैवीरैरुपपन्नो महारथै:
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca |
mitrāmātyaiḥ susampannaḥ sampanno yuddhayojakaiḥ |
bhrātṛbhiḥ śvaśuraiḥ vīrair upapanno mahārathaiḥ ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra dit : «Il est riche en amis et en conseillers ; il est pourvu de ceux qui savent ordonner la guerre. Il est soutenu par ses frères et par ses beaux‑pères vaillants—grands guerriers de char—; ainsi se trouve‑t‑il pleinement muni d’alliés puissants.»
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how political and military power is not merely personal valor but a web of allies—friends, ministers, strategists, and kin. Ethically, it warns that when such networks support a cause, the momentum toward war increases, and leaders bear greater responsibility to restrain conflict and choose dharma over factional loyalty.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra is describing a principal figure (contextually, a leading contender in the impending Kurukṣetra conflict) as fully backed by capable advisers, war-planners, brothers, and powerful in-laws—elite warriors—emphasizing the formidable support system that makes the confrontation difficult to prevent.