Shloka 20
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Duryodhana Dialogue on Peace and the Refusal of Compromise
रुरूणामिव यूथेषु व्याप्रा: प्रहरतां वरा: । वरान् वरान् हनिष्यन्ति समेता युधि पाण्डवा:
rurūṇām iva yūtheṣu vyāghrāḥ praharatāṃ varāḥ | varān varān haniṣyanti sametā yudhi pāṇḍavāḥ ||
ドゥルヨーダナは言った。「打ちかかる者の中でも最たる虎が、鹿の群れへ躍り込み、最も強きものを倒すように、戦場に集いしパーンダヴァらもまた、我らの主だった精鋭の勇士を討ち取るであろう。」
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the destructive momentum of war: when powerful, united fighters enter battle, the ‘best’ on the opposing side become primary targets. Ethically, it underscores how conflict escalates toward the elimination of leaders and exemplars, revealing the grave consequences of choosing war over reconciliation.
Duryodhana, anticipating the coming battle, voices a grim prediction: the Pāṇḍavas, acting together, will cut down the foremost Kaurava champions. He frames this through a predator–prey simile—tigers entering a herd—emphasizing both the Pāṇḍavas’ martial prowess and the vulnerability of even elite warriors in war.