Shloka 22
द्रोणपर्व — अध्याय ८७: सात्यकेरनुयात्रा
Sātyaki’s resolve and departure to reach Arjuna
आगत: सर्वभूतानामनुकम्पार्थमच्युत: । ततो5हमन्लुवं सूत मन्द दुर्योधनं तदा,संजय! जब अपनी महिमासे कभी च्युत न होनेवाले भगवान् जनार्दन समस्त प्राणियोंपर कृपा करनेके लिये शान्ति स्थापित करनेकी इच्छा लेकर उपप्लव्यसे हस्तिनापुरमें पधारे थे, उस समय मैंने अपने मूर्ख पुत्र दुर्योधनसे इस प्रकार कहा था --
āgataḥ sarvabhūtānām anukampārtham acyutaḥ | tato 'ham abruvaṁ sūta mandaṁ duryodhanaṁ tadā, sañjaya |
Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “O charioteer, when Acyuta—Lord Janārdana, who never falls from His own majesty—came from Upaplavya to Hastināpura, wishing to establish peace out of compassion for all living beings, I then addressed my foolish son Duryodhana in this manner, O Sañjaya.”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when a divine and well-intentioned mediator seeks peace out of compassion for all beings, the failure of leaders to restrain pride and folly—especially within one’s own family—can turn a preventable conflict into inevitable war; moral responsibility lies in heeding wise counsel and choosing śānti over obstinacy.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra recalls the earlier moment when Kṛṣṇa came from Upaplavya to Hastināpura to negotiate peace; he tells Sañjaya that at that time he spoke to his son Duryodhana, setting up the content of that admonition.