Shloka 103
अध्याय ६ — युधिष्ठिरस्य वैराग्य-वाक्यं धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनगमनाभिलाषश्च
Chapter 6: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Renunciatory Appeal and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Resolve for the Forest
हिरण्यं कुप्य भूयिष्ठं मित्र क्षीणमथो बलम् | भारत! यदि अपनी विपरीत अवस्था हो तो शत्रुको कम उपजाऊ भूमि
hiraṇyaṁ kupya-bhūyiṣṭhaṁ mitra-kṣīṇam atho balam | bhārata! yadi āpannā viparītāvasthā bhavet tadā śatrave alpāṁ sasyavatīṁ bhūmiṁ kiñcid hiraṇyaṁ ca bahu kupyaṁ (yathā yasta-pītala-ādi dhātavaḥ) durbalaṁ mitraṁ senāṁ ca dattvā tena saha sandhiṁ kuryāt ||
ドリタラーシュトラは言う。「バーラタの末裔よ、己の境遇が不利に傾き、資財が尽きかけたなら、敵といえども和を結べ。害の少ないものを譲るのだ――実り乏しい土地の一画、わずかな黄金、そして亜鉛や真鍮のごとき卑金属を多めに。さらに弱った同盟者と減じた兵力を添えてでもよい。ここにある倫理は実際的である。時勢に迫られるとき、捨て得る資産を差し出して、命と王国の中核の力を守れ。」
धघतयाट्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
When fortune turns against you, dharma-informed prudence recommends preserving what is essential by making peace through concessions of expendable resources—less fertile land, a little gold, and more base metals—rather than risking total ruin through stubborn conflict.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra is giving counsel in a political-ethical register, outlining how a ruler should negotiate a treaty (sandhi) with an enemy during a crisis, emphasizing strategic concessions to secure stability.