Shloka 3
आशा-कृशता उपाख्यानम्
The Episode on the Emaciation Caused by Hope
पितामहाशा महती ममासीद्धि सुयोधने । प्राप्ते युद्धे तु तद् युक्त तत् कर्तायमिति प्रभो
Pitāmahāśā mahatī mamāsīd dhi Suyodhane | prāpte yuddhe tu tad yuktaṃ tat kartāyam iti prabho, Pitāmaha!
ຢຸທິສຖິຣະ ກ່າວວ່າ: «ໂອ ປິຕາມະຫາ (ພະອົງປູ່ຜູ້ຍິ່ງໃຫຍ່), ຂ້າໄດ້ຝາກຄວາມຫວັງອັນໃຫຍ່ຫຼວງໄວ້ໃນ ສຸຍໂອທະນະ (ທຸຣະໂຢທະນະ). ຂ້າຄິດວ່າ ເມື່ອເວລາສົງຄາມມາຮອດ ລາວຈະເລືອກສິ່ງທີ່ຖືກຄວນ—ແລະຈະເຮັດສິ່ງທີ່ຖືກຕ້ອງ. ໂອ ປິຕາມະຫາຜູ້ຄວນເຄົາລົບ, ຂ້າເຊື່ອວ່າ ລາວຈະຄືນອານາຈັກໃຫ້ຂ້າເຄິ່ງໜຶ່ງ ໂດຍບໍ່ບັງຄັບໃຫ້ເກີດສົງຄາມ»។
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical expectation that even at the brink of war, a ruler should choose the ‘yukta’ (proper, dharmic) course—restraint, fairness, and restitution—rather than letting pride and greed compel violence.
In the Śānti Parva dialogue, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Bhīṣma, recalling that he had hoped Duryodhana would act rightly when war became imminent—specifically, that he would return half the kingdom without forcing a battle.