Shloka 14
Adhyāya 20 — Rājadharma Argument for Paternal Inheritance and Timely Conciliation
नहिते विग्रहं वीरा: कुर्वन्ति कुरुभि: सह । अविनाशेन लोकस्य काड्क्षन्ते पाण्डवा: स्वकम्,“वीर पाण्डव कौरवोंके साथ युद्ध नहीं कर रहे हैं, वे जनसंहार किये बिना ही अपना राज्य पाना चाहते हैं
na hi te vigrahaṃ vīrāḥ kurvanti kurubhiḥ saha | avināśena lokasya kāṅkṣante pāṇḍavāḥ svakam ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Para wira itu tidak mencari pertikaian dengan kaum Kuru. Pāṇḍava menghendaki apa yang sememangnya hak mereka, namun mereka ingin memperolehnya tanpa membawa kebinasaan ke atas rakyat.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when one has a rightful claim, dharma favors restraint: the Pāṇḍavas seek their due without desiring the ruin of the people, presenting war as a last resort rather than a goal.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, Vaiśampāyana characterizes the Pāṇḍavas as unwilling to initiate hostilities with the Kurus and as aiming to recover their own kingdom through a settlement that avoids mass destruction.