Shloka 26
Nala’s Embassy to Damayantī and the Gods’ Proposal (नलस्य दूतत्वं देवप्रस्तावश्च)
कालो दुर्योधन हन्तुं सानुबन्धमरिंदम । एकाग्रां पृथिवीं सर्वा पुरा राजन् करोति सः:,'शत्रुदमन! यह दुर्योधनको उसके सगे-सम्बन्धियों-सहित मार डालनेका अवसर आया है। राजन्! वह सारी पृथ्वीको जबतक एक सूत्रमें बाँध ले, उसके पहले ही यह कार्य कर लेना चाहिये
kālo duryodhana hantuṃ sānubandham ariṃdama | ekāgrāṃ pṛthivīṃ sarvāṃ purā rājan karoti saḥ ||
ವೈಶಂಪಾಯನನು ಹೇಳಿದನು— ಓ ಶತ್ರುದಮನನೇ! ದುರ್ಯೋಧನನನ್ನು ಅವನ ಬಂಧು-ಬಾಂಧವರೊಡನೆ ಸಂಹರಿಸುವ ಕಾಲ ಬಂದಿದೆ. ಓ ರಾಜನೇ! ಅವನು ಸಮಸ್ತ ಭೂಮಿಯನ್ನು ಏಕಚ್ಛತ್ರವಾಗಿ ಮಾಡುವ ಮೊದಲುಲೇ ಈ ಕಾರ್ಯವನ್ನು ನೆರವೇರಿಸಬೇಕು.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames decisive action as ethically and strategically time-bound: when adharma consolidates power, delaying response can allow it to unify the realm and become harder to uproot. It highlights kāla (the right moment) as crucial in kṣatriya duty and governance.
Vaiśampāyana reports counsel urging the king to act against Duryodhana immediately—killing him along with his supporting network—before Duryodhana can consolidate sovereignty over the entire earth (i.e., establish uncontested political dominance).