Shloka 20
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Duryodhana Dialogue on Peace and the Refusal of Compromise
रुरूणामिव यूथेषु व्याप्रा: प्रहरतां वरा: । वरान् वरान् हनिष्यन्ति समेता युधि पाण्डवा:
rurūṇām iva yūtheṣu vyāghrāḥ praharatāṃ varāḥ | varān varān haniṣyanti sametā yudhi pāṇḍavāḥ ||
Duryodhana disse: “Como tigres—os melhores entre os que desferem golpes—que se lançam sobre manadas de cervos e abatem os mais fortes, assim também os Pāṇḍavas, reunidos na batalha, matarão nossos guerreiros principais e mais escolhidos.”
दुर्योधन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the destructive momentum of war: when powerful, united fighters enter battle, the ‘best’ on the opposing side become primary targets. Ethically, it underscores how conflict escalates toward the elimination of leaders and exemplars, revealing the grave consequences of choosing war over reconciliation.
Duryodhana, anticipating the coming battle, voices a grim prediction: the Pāṇḍavas, acting together, will cut down the foremost Kaurava champions. He frames this through a predator–prey simile—tigers entering a herd—emphasizing both the Pāṇḍavas’ martial prowess and the vulnerability of even elite warriors in war.