Shloka 3
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Duryodhana Dialogue on Peace and the Refusal of Compromise
अलमर्ध पृथिव्यास्ते सहामात्यस्य जीवितुम् | प्रयच्छ पाण्डुपुत्राणां यथोचितमरिंदम,शत्रुओंका दमन करनेवाले वीर! तुम पाण्डवोंको उनका यथोचित राज्यभाग दे दो। बेटा! मन्त्रियों-सहित तुम्हारे जीवननिर्वाहके लिये तो आधा राज्य ही पर्याप्त है
alam ardha-pṛthivyās te sahāmātyasya jīvitum | prayaccha pāṇḍu-putrāṇāṁ yathocitam ariṁ-dama ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra berkata: “Separuh bumi sudah memadai untuk engkau hidup, sekalipun bersama para menterimu. Maka, wahai penunduk musuh, berikanlah kepada putera-putera Pāṇḍu bahagian kerajaan yang sewajarnya menjadi hak mereka.”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler should uphold fairness and dharma by granting others their due share; greed for total sovereignty is ethically indefensible when a just division can preserve peace and legitimacy.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra urges the Kuru side (addressing the ‘subduer of foes’) to accept a reasonable settlement: keep half the realm as sufficient for themselves and their ministers, and give the Pāṇḍavas the portion that properly belongs to them, aiming to avert conflict.