अध्याय ८७: कृष्णस्य हस्तिनापुरप्रवेशः
Krishna’s Entry into Hastināpura and Court Reception
न तु तस्मै प्रदेयं स्यात् तथा कार्यगतिः प्रभो | विग्रह: समुपारब्धो न हि शाम्यत्यविग्रहात्
na tu tasmai pradeyaṃ syāt tathā kāryagatiḥ prabho | vigrahaḥ samupārabdhaḥ na hi śāmyaty avigrahāt prabho ||
Duryodhana berkata: “Namun kepadanya tidak sepatutnya diberikan apa pun, wahai tuanku; demikianlah langkah yang paling menguntungkan bagi urusan kita. Bila permusuhan telah dimulai, ia tidak akan reda hanya dengan jamuan tamu atau isyarat persahabatan yang lahiriah.”
दुर्योधन उवाच
The verse highlights a hardline political ethic: once enmity is initiated, superficial courtesies or token concessions are seen as ineffective for restoring peace. It contrasts pragmatic power-politics with the dharmic ideal of reconciliation.
Duryodhana argues against giving any concession to the opposing side, insisting that the conflict has already begun and cannot be ended merely through polite hospitality or displays of friendliness.