Shloka 21
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 3 — Sātyaki on Inner Disposition, Legitimacy, and Coercive Readiness
हद्गतस्तस्य य: कामस्तं कुरुध्वमतन्द्रिता:
hṛdgatas tasya yaḥ kāmas taṃ kurudhvam atandritāḥ | ataḥ pāṇḍuputra yudhiṣṭhirasya manasi yo 'bhilāṣas taṃ yūyaṃ ālasyaṃ tyaktvā sādhayata | dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ rājyaṃ pratyāharatu, pāṇḍuputro yudhiṣṭhiras tad gṛhṇātu | idānīṃ pāṇḍunandanasya yudhiṣṭhirasya rājya-prāptir bhavitum arhati, anyathā sarve kauravā yuddhe hatā raṇabhūmau sadā-kṛte śayiṣyante ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Apa jua hasrat yang tersimpan di dalam hatinya—tunaikanlah itu tanpa kelalaian. Maka, buanglah kemalasan dan sempurnakanlah kehendak yang bersemayam dalam fikiran Yudhiṣṭhira, putera Pāṇḍu. Biarlah Dhṛtarāṣṭra memulangkan kerajaan, dan biarlah Yudhiṣṭhira, putera Pāṇḍu, menerimanya. Kini sewajarnya Yudhiṣṭhira, putera kesayangan Pāṇḍu, memperoleh takhta; jika tidak, seluruh Kaurava akan gugur dalam perang dan terbaring di medan laga untuk selama-lamanya.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse urges prompt, vigilant action to uphold rightful order: restore the legitimate share of the kingdom to Yudhiṣṭhira to avert the catastrophic moral and human cost of war.
Vaiśampāyana reports an admonitory counsel: Dhṛtarāṣṭra should return the kingdom and Yudhiṣṭhira should accept it; if this settlement is refused, the Kauravas are foretold to perish on the battlefield.