Shloka 38
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय ८१: कृष्णस्य दूतप्रयाणम्
Udyoga Parva, Chapter 81: Krishna Sets Out as Envoy
“श्रीकृष्ण! यदि भीमसेन और अर्जुन कायर होकर कौरवोंके साथ संधिकी कामना करने लगे हैं, तो मेरे वृद्ध पिताजी अपने महारथी पुत्रोंके साथ शत्रुओंसे युद्ध करेंगे ।।
śrīkṛṣṇa! yadi bhīmasenaḥ ca arjunaḥ ca kāyarau bhūtvā kauravaiḥ saha sandhi-kāmanāṃ kartum ārabhete, tarhi mama vṛddhaḥ pitā mahāratha-putraiḥ saha śatrubhiḥ saha yuddhaṃ kariṣyati. pañca caiva mahā-vīryāḥ putrā me madhusūdana, abhimanyuṃ puraskṛtya yotsyante kurubhiḥ saha.
“Ó Śrī Kṛṣṇa! Se Bhīmasena e Arjuna, perdendo o ânimo, passarem a desejar um acordo com os Kauravas, meu pai, já idoso, ainda assim irá à guerra contra os inimigos—junto com seus filhos, grandes guerreiros de carro. E meus cinco filhos, ó Madhusūdana, pondo Abhimanyu à frente, lutarão ao lado dos Kurus.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse stresses steadfastness in kṣatriya-dharma: when justice and honor are at stake, fear-driven compromise is condemned, and even the elderly and the next generation are portrayed as ready to uphold duty through battle.
A speaker addresses Kṛṣṇa, declaring that even if leading heroes like Bhīma and Arjuna were to seek peace out of cowardice, the speaker’s aged father and five valorous sons—led by Abhimanyu—will still fight against the enemy alongside the Kurus.