Shloka 18
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय ७७: पुरुषकार–दैवसंयोगः तथा दुष्टमन्त्रपरामर्शस्य राजनैतिक-परिणामः
Human Effort, Contingency, and the Political Effects of Corrupt Counsel
स नाम सम्यग वर्तेत पाण्डवेष्विति माधव । न मे संजायते बुद्धिर्बीजमुप्तमिवोषरे
sa nāma samyag varteta pāṇḍaveṣv iti mādhava | na me sañjāyate buddhir bījam uptam ivoṣare ||
Arjuna berkata: “Wahai Mādhava, dalam benakku tak timbul keyakinan bahwa ia (Duryodhana) akan sungguh-sungguh berlaku benar terhadap para Pāṇḍava. Upaya berdamai dengannya sia-sia—laksana benih yang ditabur di tanah tandus.”
अर्जुन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Arjuna expresses ethical realism: peace-making requires a counterpart capable of right conduct. When a person is firmly set against dharma, negotiation becomes fruitless—symbolized by seed wasted on barren ground.
In the lead-up to the Kurukṣetra war, Arjuna speaks to Kṛṣṇa (Mādhava), doubting that Duryodhana will ever treat the Pāṇḍavas justly. He argues that efforts toward a treaty with Duryodhana will not bear results.