का प्रीति: सत्त्वयुक्तस्य कृत्वोपधिकृतं जयम्
kā prītiḥ sattvayuktasya kṛtvopadhikṛtaṃ jayam
Санджая сказал: «Какая радость тому, кто утверждён в истинной добродетели, если победа добыта лишь посредством подстроенных условий и тайных уловок?»
संजय उवाच
The verse questions the moral worth of a victory gained through upādhi—pretexts, contrivances, or hidden motives—implying that a truly sattva-grounded person finds no genuine joy in success achieved by ethically compromised means.
Sañjaya, narrating events to Dhṛtarāṣṭra, reflects on the nature of victory in the war context, casting doubt on any triumph that depends on stratagems or conditional maneuvers rather than straightforward, dharmic conduct.