Shloka 16
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय ८१: कृष्णस्य दूतप्रयाणम्
Udyoga Parva, Chapter 81: Krishna Sets Out as Envoy
यही कुन्तीकुमारोंके योग्य कार्य है। श्रीकृष्ण! यदि यह किया जाय तो आपके भी यशका विस्तार होगा और समस्त क्षत्रियसमुदायको भी सुख मिलेगा ।।
kṣatriyeṇa hi hantavyaḥ kṣatriyo lobham āsthitaḥ | akṣatriyo vā dāśārha svadharmam anutiṣṭhatā ||
“Seorang kṣatriya yang terjerumus dalam ketamakan sememangnya patut dibunuh oleh seorang kṣatriya; atau jika tidak, wahai Dāśārha (Kṛṣṇa), bahkan oleh orang yang bukan kṣatriya—asal dia bertindak teguh menurut dharmanya sendiri.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler or warrior who becomes dominated by greed is a threat to dharma and public welfare; restraining such a person—even through lethal force—can be a duty when performed as disciplined svadharma rather than personal vengeance.
Vaiśampāyana, narrating the events of the Udyoga Parva, frames an argument addressed to Krishna: that decisive action against a greed-driven Kshatriya is justified and can bring wider peace and honor, emphasizing duty-bound intervention.