Shloka 2
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय ७७: पुरुषकार–दैवसंयोगः तथा दुष्टमन्त्रपरामर्शस्य राजनैतिक-परिणामः
Human Effort, Contingency, and the Political Effects of Corrupt Counsel
नैव प्रशममत्र त्वं मन्यसे सुकरं प्रभो । लोभाद् वा धृतराष्ट्रस्य दैन्याद् वा समुपस्थितात्
naiva praśamam atra tvaṃ manyase sukaraṃ prabho | lobhād vā dhṛtarāṣṭrasya dainyād vā samupasthitāt ||
Arjuna dit : «Ô Seigneur, il semble que tu ne juges pas aisée la réconciliation ici — soit à cause de la cupidité de Dhṛtarāṣṭra, soit à cause de la pitoyable impuissance où nous nous trouvons à présent.»
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Arjuna highlights two ethical obstacles to peace: the opponent’s moral failing (Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s greed) and one’s own weakened position (present helplessness). The verse frames reconciliation as not merely a diplomatic act but a dharmic challenge shaped by inner vices and power realities.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations, Arjuna responds to Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana). He infers from Kṛṣṇa’s words that achieving a settlement is difficult because Dhṛtarāṣṭra is driven by greed and because the Pāṇḍavas’ current condition appears vulnerable, making fair compromise unlikely.