Shloka 12
Udyoga Parva, Adhyaya 31 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s Instructions to Sañjaya
Peace Appeal and Five-Village Proposal
परो धर्मात् पाण्डवस्यानृशंस्यं धर्म: परो वित्तचयान्मतो<स्य । सुखप्रिये धर्महीने5नपार्थे5- नुरुध्यते भारत तस्य बुद्धि:
paro dharmāt pāṇḍavasyānṛśaṃsyaṃ dharmaḥ paro vittacayān mato 'sya | sukhapriye dharmahīne 'napārthe 'nurudhyate bhārata tasya buddhiḥ ||
サンジャヤは言った。「バーラタよ、あのパーンドゥの子にとって、慈悲と不害は、他のいかなるダルマにも勝って最上である。財を積むことより、ダルマを実践することを尊ぶ。ダルマを欠き、真の目的を持たぬ快楽や愛着の対象に、彼の心は走らない。」
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates ānṛśaṃsya (compassion/non-cruelty) as a supreme expression of dharma and contrasts it with the pursuit of wealth and pleasure. True moral judgment refuses pleasures that are adharmic and purposeless.
Sañjaya reports to Dhṛtarāṣṭra about Yudhiṣṭhira’s character and values during the tense pre-war negotiations: he prioritizes compassion and righteousness over material gain and does not chase pleasure when it conflicts with dharma.