Shloka 70

Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 71 — Kṣatra-dharma Counsel, Public Legitimacy, and Mobilization

Devanagari script

प्रतिघातेन सान्त्वस्य दारुणं सम्प्रवर्तते । तच्छुनामिव सम्पाते पण्डितैरुपलक्षितम्‌,जब शान्तिके प्रयत्नोंमें बाधा आती है, तब भयंकर युद्ध स्वतः आरम्भ हो जाता है। पण्डितोंने इस युद्धकी उपमा कुत्तोंक कलहसे दी है

Transliteration

pratighātena sāntvasya dāruṇaṁ sampravartate | tacchunām iva sampāte paṇḍitair upalakṣitam ||

Translation

युधिष्ठिर बोले— जब शान्ति-प्रयत्नों में प्रतिघात होता है, तब भयंकर युद्ध अपने-आप आरम्भ हो जाता है। पण्डितों ने इस युद्ध की पहचान कुत्तों के अचानक भिड़ जाने जैसी उपमा से की है।

Word by Word

प्रतिघातेनby/through obstruction, by a counter-blow

सान्त्वस्यof conciliation/appeasement

दारुणम्terrible, dreadful

सम्प्रवर्ततेbegins, sets in, comes into operation

तत्that (i.e., that terrible thing/war)

शुनाम्of dogs

इवlike, as

सम्पातेin a clash/encounter, at the onset of a collision

पण्डितैःby the learned/wise

उपलक्षितम्is observed/recognized, is characterized

Speaker

युधिछिर उवाच

Characters & Entities

Yudhiṣṭhira

dogs (as a simile)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

If sincere attempts at reconciliation are blocked, violence tends to arise automatically; therefore dharmic leadership must remove obstacles to peace early, before conflict becomes self-propelling and irrational.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations, Yudhiṣṭhira reflects on how failed peace-making can quickly tip into inevitable war, illustrating the danger with the image of dogs suddenly colliding and fighting.