Shloka 52
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 123 — Bhīṣma–Droṇa–Vidura Upadeśa to Duryodhana
Keśava-vākya aftermath
कि ते जनक्षयेणेह कृतेन भरतर्षभ । यस्मिज्जिते जितं तत् स्यात् पुमानेक: स दृश्यताम्
ki te janakṣayeṇeha kṛtena bharatarṣabha | yasmiñ jite jitaṃ tat syāt pumān ekaḥ sa dṛśyatām ||
ਵੈਸ਼ੰਪਾਯਨ ਨੇ ਕਿਹਾ—“ਹੇ ਭਰਤ-ਵ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਭ, ਇੱਥੇ ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦਾ ਸੰਹਾਰ ਕਰਵਾ ਕੇ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਕੀ ਲਾਭ? ਆਪਣੇ ਪੱਖ ਵਿੱਚ ਕੋਈ ਇੱਕ ਐਸਾ ਵੀਰ ਲੱਭ, ਜੋ ਅਰਜੁਨ ਨੂੰ ਹਰਾ ਸਕੇ; ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਜਿਸ ਦੇ ਜਿੱਤ ਲੈਣ ਨਾਲ ਜਿੱਤ ਨਿਸ਼ਚਿਤ ਮੰਨੀ ਜਾਵੇ।”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse discourages indiscriminate mass slaughter and urges a restrained, goal-focused approach: seek a decisive contest through a capable champion rather than pursuing victory through widespread human destruction.
Vaiśampāyana comments on the looming conflict, addressing a Bharata leader and arguing that instead of causing large-scale casualties, they should identify a single warrior who can defeat Arjuna—since Arjuna’s defeat would effectively signal the opposing side’s success.