Shloka 14
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 71 — Kṣatra-dharma Counsel, Public Legitimacy, and Mobilization
काशिकभिश्रेदिपज्चालै मत्स्यैश्न मधुसूदन । भवता चैव नाथेन पज्च ग्रामा वृता मया,मधुसूदन! यद्यपि काशी, चेदि, पांचाल और मत्स्यदेशके वीर हमारे सहायक हैं और आप हमलोगोंके रक्षक और स्वामी हैं; (आपलोगोंकी सहायतासे हम सारा राज्य ले सकते हैं) तथापि मैंने केवल पाँच ही गाँव माँगे थे
Kāśikabhiś Cedi-Pañcālaiḥ Matsyaiś ca, Madhusūdana; bhavatā caiva nāthena pañca grāmā vṛtā mayā, Madhusūdana.
Yudhiṣṭhira disse: “Ó Madhusūdana, embora os heróis de Kāśī, Cedi, Pañcāla e Matsya estejam ao nosso lado, e embora tu mesmo sejas nosso protetor e senhor—de modo que, com tal apoio, poderíamos exigir todo o reino—ainda assim pedi apenas cinco aldeias. Foi um pedido contido e conforme ao dharma, para evitar derramamento de sangue desnecessário.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when one has strong allies and the power to claim everything, dharma favors restraint, proportional demands, and sincere efforts to prevent unnecessary violence.
Yudhiṣṭhira reminds Kṛṣṇa that the Pāṇḍavas have major allied kingdoms and Kṛṣṇa’s protection, yet he deliberately limited his request to only five villages as a peace-oriented settlement.