Shloka 44
Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)
त्यक्त्वा छम्म त्विदं राजन क्षत्रधर्म समाश्रित: । कुरु कार्याणि सर्वाणि धर्मिष्ठोडसि नरर्षभ
tyaktvā chadma tv idaṃ rājan kṣatradharma-samāśritaḥ | kuru kāryāṇi sarvāṇi dharmiṣṭho 'si nararṣabha ||
ସଞ୍ଜୟ କହିଲେ— “ହେ ରାଜନ, ନରଶ୍ରେଷ୍ଠ! ଏହି ଛଳ ତ୍ୟାଗ କରି କ୍ଷତ୍ରଧର୍ମର ଆଶ୍ରୟ ନିଅ। ତୁମେ ଯଦି ଧର୍ମନିଷ୍ଠ, ତେବେ ସେହି ଅନୁସାରେ ସମସ୍ତ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟ କର।”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse urges ethical clarity: renounce deceit (chadma) and act according to kṣatriya-dharma—open, honorable, duty-bound conduct—because true righteousness is incompatible with trickery.
Sañjaya, in the Udyoga Parva’s counsel-and-negotiation context, addresses a king and exhorts him to stop relying on stratagems and instead proceed with decisive actions grounded in the warrior code and dharma.