Shloka 9
Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 72 — Bhīmasena’s counsel on conciliation and Duryodhana’s disposition
नानुक्रोशान्न कार्पण्यान्न च धर्मार्थकारणात् । अलं कर्तु धार्तराष्ट्रस्तव काममरिंदम
nā’nukrośān na kārpaṇyān na ca dharmārthakāraṇāt | alaṁ kartuṁ dhārtarāṣṭras tava kāmam ariṁdama śatrumardana nareśa ||
युधिष्ठिर म्हणाला—शत्रुमर्दन! करुणेमुळे नाही, दीनतेमुळे नाही, आणि धर्म वा अर्थ-नीतीच्या कारणानेही धृतराष्ट्राचे पुत्र तुमचा मनोरथ पूर्ण करणार नाहीत. म्हणून ते दया करून, स्वतःला दुर्बल मानून, किंवा धर्म-नीती पाहून तुमची मागणी मान्य करतील असे समजू नका.
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Yudhiṣṭhira warns against naïve expectations in moral and political conflict: entrenched hostility and ambition are not softened merely by appeals to compassion, humility, or even dharma and pragmatic benefit. Ethical counsel here includes clear-eyed assessment of an opponent’s motives.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses a king (contextually a Pandava ally/leader in counsel) and cautions that the Dhārtarāṣṭras—Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons led by Duryodhana—will not grant the requested settlement out of mercy or righteousness, foreshadowing the failure of peace efforts.