Shloka 35
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 28: Dharmādharmalakṣaṇa in Āpad
Crisis-Discernment of Right and Wrong
अस्मिन् पदे युध्यतां नो वधो5पि श्लाघ्य: पित्रयं परराज्याद् विशिष्टम् । एतान् धर्मान् कौरवाणां पुराणा- नाचक्षीथा: संजय राजमध्ये,सूत! इस राज्यभागकी प्राप्तिके लिये युद्ध करते हुए हमलोगोंका वध हो जाय तो वह भी हमारे लिये स्पृहणीय ही है। बाप-दादोंका राज्य पराये राज्यकी अपेक्षा श्रेष्ठ है। संजय! तुम राजाओंकी मण्डलीमें राजाओंके इन प्राचीन धर्मोंका कौरवोंके समक्ष वर्णन करना
asmin pade yudhyatāṁ no vadho 'pi ślāghyaḥ pitryaṁ pararājyād viśiṣṭam | etān dharmān kauravāṇāṁ purāṇān ācakṣīthāḥ sañjaya rājamadhye, sūta ||
Jika ketika berjuang menuntut bahagian yang sah ini kami terbunuh sekalipun, kematian itu pun mulia bagi kami. Kerajaan warisan leluhur lebih utama daripada kerajaan milik orang lain. Maka, wahai Sanjaya—wahai sūta—nyatakanlah di tengah perhimpunan para raja akan dharma-dharma purba ini, kewajipan tradisi kaum Kaurava.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames fighting for one’s rightful ancestral share as a dharmic obligation: even death incurred in such a struggle is considered honorable, and inherited legitimacy (pitrya-rājya) is valued above acquiring or accepting another’s kingdom.
Vāyudeva instructs Sañjaya, in his role as messenger and court narrator, to proclaim before the gathered kings the Kauravas’ ancient codes of conduct—arguing that the claim to ancestral rule justifies steadfastness in conflict, even at the cost of life.