Shloka 22
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 126 — Kṛṣṇa’s Indictment of Misrule and the Varuṇa Analogy (कृष्णवाक्यं–धर्मपाशदृष्टान्तः)
राज्यांशश्वाभ्यनुज्ञातो यो मे पित्रा पुराभवत् | न स लभ्य: पुनर्जातु मयि जीवति केशव,“केशव! मेरे पिताजीने पूर्वकालमें जो राज्यभाग मेरे अधीन कर दिया है, उसे कोई मेरे जीते-जी फिर कदापि नहीं पा सकता
rājyāṁśaś cābhyanujñāto yo me pitrā purābhavat | na sa labhyaḥ punar jātu mayi jīvati keśava |
Vaiśampāyana disse: “Ó Keśava, a parte do reino que meu pai me concedeu e confirmou há muito tempo jamais poderá ser obtida novamente por quem quer que seja enquanto eu estiver vivo.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts the binding force of a rightful, previously sanctioned grant: a legitimate share of sovereignty, once confirmed by the father/elder authority, is treated as non-negotiable. Ethically, it frames the dispute as one of justice and entitlement rather than mere power.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations and arguments over rightful rule, a speaker addresses Kṛṣṇa (Keśava) and declares that the portion of the kingdom earlier granted by his father will not be surrendered or re-allocated to others as long as he lives—signaling an uncompromising stance in the political conflict.