Shloka 103
अध्याय ६ — युधिष्ठिरस्य वैराग्य-वाक्यं धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनगमनाभिलाषश्च
Chapter 6: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Renunciatory Appeal and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Resolve for the Forest
हिरण्यं कुप्य भूयिष्ठं मित्र क्षीणमथो बलम् | भारत! यदि अपनी विपरीत अवस्था हो तो शत्रुको कम उपजाऊ भूमि
hiraṇyaṁ kupya-bhūyiṣṭhaṁ mitra-kṣīṇam atho balam | bhārata! yadi āpannā viparītāvasthā bhavet tadā śatrave alpāṁ sasyavatīṁ bhūmiṁ kiñcid hiraṇyaṁ ca bahu kupyaṁ (yathā yasta-pītala-ādi dhātavaḥ) durbalaṁ mitraṁ senāṁ ca dattvā tena saha sandhiṁ kuryāt ||
हिरण्यं कुप्यं भूयिष्ठं मित्रं क्षीणमथो बलम्। भारत! स्वावस्थायां विपरीतायां शत्रुणा सह संधिं कुर्यात्—अल्पफलां भूमिं, स्वल्पं हिरण्यं, कुप्यं च भूयिष्ठं दत्त्वा; क्षीणं मित्रं बलं च समर्प्य॥
धघतयाट्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
When fortune turns against you, dharma-informed prudence recommends preserving what is essential by making peace through concessions of expendable resources—less fertile land, a little gold, and more base metals—rather than risking total ruin through stubborn conflict.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra is giving counsel in a political-ethical register, outlining how a ruler should negotiate a treaty (sandhi) with an enemy during a crisis, emphasizing strategic concessions to secure stability.