Shloka 125
Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)
तदा मनस्ते त्रिदिवादिवाशुचे- निवर्तिता पार्थ महीप्रशासनात् | प्रशाम्य राज्यं हि सुदुर्लभं त्वया बुभूषित: स्वर्ग इवातपस्विना
tadā manas te tridivād ivāśuce nivartitā pārtha mahīpraśāsanāt | praśāmya rājyaṃ hi sudurlabhaṃ tvayā bubhūṣitaḥ svarga ivātapasvinā ||
Sanjaya berkata: “Wahai Partha, sebagaimana pikiran orang yang tidak suci berpaling dari surga—karena surga berada di luar jangkauannya—demikian pula pada saat itu, karena putus asa, pikiranmu akan berpaling dari memerintah bumi. Tenanglah dan duduklah; kerajaan amat sukar bagimu untuk diperoleh. Seperti orang yang tak bertapa namun tetap mendambakan surga, demikian pula engkau mendambakan kedaulatan.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Desire must be matched by qualification and discipline: sovereignty, like heaven, is not gained merely by wishing. The verse stresses self-restraint (praśānti) and implies that legitimate power requires prior merit—especially tapas (austerity, disciplined effort) and fitness for rule.
Sanjaya addresses Arjuna (Partha) with a sobering comparison: just as an unpurified person gives up hope of heaven, Arjuna will (or should) abandon the expectation of ruling the earth. He urges Arjuna to calm down and accept that kingship is extremely difficult for him to obtain in the present situation.