Shloka 11
Virāṭa-sabhāyāṃ Saṃniveśaḥ — Assembly at Virāṭa’s Hall and Kṛṣṇa’s Diplomatic Counsel
शक्तैविंजेतुं तरसा महीं च सत्ये स्थितै: सत्यरथैर्यथावत् । पाण्डो: सुतैस्तद् व्रतमुग्ररूप॑ं वर्षाणि षट् सप्त च चीर्णमग्रयै:
śaktā evaṁ jetuṁ tarasā mahīṁ ca satye sthitaiḥ satyarathair yathāvat | pāṇḍoḥ sutais tad vrataṁ ugrarūpaṁ varṣāṇi ṣaṭ sapta ca cīrṇam agryaiḥ ||
パーンドゥの子らは真実に堅く立ち—真実そのものを戦車とし、また拠り所として—全大地を迅速に、しかも余すところなく征服し得る力を備えていた。されど英雄の中の最上たる彼らは、真実を重んじて、苛烈なる誓願をその厳しい形のまま耐え抜き、成し遂げた。すなわち六年、さらに七年—流謫と潜伏の十三年—少しも揺らぐことなく。
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Moral power is shown not only in the ability to win kingdoms but in steadfast commitment to satya (truth) and vrata (a pledged duty). The Pāṇḍavas could have seized power by force, yet they chose to honor their pledged terms of exile, presenting truthfulness and self-restraint as higher than immediate victory.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa describes the Pāṇḍavas’ strength and legitimacy: they are capable of conquering the earth quickly, but they deliberately endured the full thirteen-year vow of forest exile and incognito living. This underscores their ethical standing as the conflict moves toward negotiation and war.