Shloka 183
अध्याय ६ — युधिष्ठिरस्य वैराग्य-वाक्यं धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनगमनाभिलाषश्च
Chapter 6: Yudhiṣṭhira’s Renunciatory Appeal and Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Resolve for the Forest
सामादिभिरुपायैस्तं क्रमेण विनिवर्तये: । राजसिंह! तुम्हें बेंतकी-सी वृत्ति (नम्नता)-का आश्रय लेकर रहना चाहिये। यदि किसी दुर्बल राजापर बलवान् राजा आक्रमण करे तो क्रमश: साम आदि उपायोंद्वारा उस बलवान् राजाको लौटानेका प्रयत्न करना चाहिये
sāmādibhir upāyais taṃ krameṇa vinivartayet | rājasiṃha! tvayā veṇṭakī-sadṛśīṃ vṛttiṃ (namratām) āśritya vartitavyam | yadi kaścid durbalo rājā balavatā rājñābhyākramyate, tadā krameṇa sāmādi-upāyaiḥ tasya balavato rājño nivartanāya prayatnaḥ kartavyaḥ |
धृतराष्ट्र उवाच—राजसिंह! वंशवत् नम्रभावमाश्रित्य वसेः; न हि भङ्गं गन्तव्यं, किं तु नम्रतया स्थित्वा रक्षणीयम्। यदि दुर्बलराजानं प्रति बलवान् राजा आक्रमेत्, तदा क्रमेण सामादिभिरुपायैः—प्रथमं साम्ना मन्त्रेण च, ततः परं यथायोग्यं—तं बलवन्तं निवर्तयितुं प्रयतेथाः।
धघतयाट्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches graduated statecraft: when confronting aggression, begin with sāma—humble, conciliatory diplomacy—and proceed step by step through other measures only as needed. Humility and flexibility are presented as strengths in governance.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra addresses a king (honorifically ‘rājasiṃha’), advising how to respond when a stronger ruler attacks a weaker one: adopt a pliant, reed-like humility and attempt to make the aggressor withdraw through sequential political means starting with conciliation.