Shloka 20
Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 73 — Kr̥ṣṇa’s Appraisal of Bhīma’s Altered Temper and Reaffirmation of Martial Resolve
अपि दुर्योधन कृष्ण सर्वे वयमधश्च्रा: । नीचैर्भूत्वानुयास्यथामो मा सम नो भरतानशन्
api duryodhana kṛṣṇa sarve vayam adhaś carāḥ | nīcair bhūtvānuyāsyathāmo mā sma no bharatānāśan ||
Bhima berkata: “Wahai Krishna, sekalipun harus terjadi begini—bahwa kami semua berjalan di bawah, dengan kaki, dalam kerendahan hati, mengikuti Duryodhana—biarlah demikian. Hanya jangan sampai karena kami, kaum Bharata binasa.”
भीम उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even a warrior like Bhima can prioritize the prevention of collective ruin over personal pride: he is willing to accept humiliation if it averts the destruction of the Bharata/Kuru line, highlighting restraint and responsibility in the face of escalating conflict.
In the Udyoga Parva’s peace negotiations, Bhima addresses Krishna, expressing readiness for extreme concession—walking humbly behind Duryodhana—so long as their actions do not lead to the annihilation of their own kin and dynasty.