Shloka 22
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 3 — Sātyaki on Inner Disposition, Legitimacy, and Coercive Readiness
निसृष्टं धृतराष्ट्रेण राज्यं प्राप्रोतु पाण्डव: । अद्य पाण्डुसुतो राज्यं लभतां वा युधिष्ठिर:
niṣṛṣṭaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭreṇa rājyaṃ prāprotu pāṇḍavaḥ | adya pāṇḍusuto rājyaṃ labhatāṃ vā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ |
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Biarlah Pāṇḍava memperoleh kerajaan yang telah dilepaskan (dipulangkan) oleh Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Biarlah Yudhiṣṭhira, putera Pāṇḍu, menerima kedaulatan pada hari ini. Kerana demikianlah yang wajar: pewaris yang sah hendaklah ditegakkan pada bahagiannya; jika tidak, keengganan memulangkan yang adil akan menjerumuskan Kaurava ke dalam kebinasaan melalui perang.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Political power must align with dharma: what is rightfully due should be restored without delay. Refusing a just settlement invites adharma and escalates conflict toward destructive war.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war diplomacy, the narration frames the ethical necessity of returning the kingdom to Yudhiṣṭhira. The verse underscores that Dhṛtarāṣṭra should relinquish control so the rightful heir may rule, otherwise the Kuru dispute will harden into war.