Shloka 2
Udyoga Parva, Adhyaya 52: Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Appraisal of Pāṇḍava Strength and the Case for Restraint
त्वमेव हि पराक्रान्तानाचक्षी था: परान् मम । पञज्चालान् केकयान् मत्स्यान् मागधान् वत्सभूमिपान्,तुमने ही मेरे निकट पराक्रमशाली पांचाल, केकय, मत्स्य, मागध तथा वत्सदेशीय उत्कृष्ट भूमिपालोंके नाम लिये हैं--(ये सभी पाण्डवोंकी विजय चाहते हैं)
tvam eva hi parākrāntān ācakṣīthāḥ parān mama | pañcālān kekayān matsyān māgadhān vatsabhūmipān ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra berkata: “Sesungguhnya engkaulah yang menyebut kepadaku raja-raja perkasa itu—Pañcāla, Kekaya, Matsya, Māgadha, dan para penguasa tanah Vatsa—pemerintah termasyhur bagi negeri-negeri yang unggul, dan semuanya memihak kemenangan Pāṇḍava.”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical and political weight of alliances: the balance of power is shaped by righteous or strategic support, and a ruler must soberly assess who stands with whom before choosing a course that leads to war.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra recalls that his interlocutor had already listed prominent kings and realms—Pañcāla, Kekaya, Matsya, Magadha, and Vatsa—who are aligned in sentiment with the Pāṇḍavas, underscoring the growing coalition against the Kauravas.