Shloka 15
Nakula’s Adaptive Counsel to Kṛṣṇa in the Kuru Assembly (उद्योगपर्व, अध्याय ७८)
जानासि हि महाबाहो त्वमप्यस्य परं मतम् । प्रियं चिकीर्षमाणं च धर्मराजस्य मामपि
jānāsi hi mahābāho tvam apy asya paraṃ matam | priyaṃ cikīrṣamāṇaṃ ca dharmarājasya mām api ||
અર્જુને કહ્યું—હે મહાબાહો! તેની દૃઢ માન્યતા તું પણ જાણે છે—કે હું પણ ધર્મરાજ યુધિષ્ઠિરને પ્રિય થાય એવું જ કરવા તત્પર રહું છું.
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores how steadfast ethical allegiance (to Dharmarāja and dharma) can be perceived as partisan intent by opponents; righteousness and loyalty invite scrutiny in political conflict, yet Arjuna affirms that his actions aim at what is dear and right for Yudhiṣṭhira.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations and strategizing, Arjuna remarks that Duryodhana already holds a firm belief about Arjuna’s stance—namely, that Arjuna intends to act in favor of Dharmarāja (Yudhiṣṭhira). This highlights the hardened positions and mistrust preceding the Kurukṣetra war.