Mahabharata 9.31.653 — Shalya Parva, Adhyaya 31, Shloka 653
गदायुद्धप्रतिज्ञा — The Vow and Terms of the Mace Duel
को हि मूढो व्यवस्यथेत शत्रोर्दातुं वसुन्धराम् । पहले तो तुम सूईकी नोक बराबर भी भूमि नहीं छोड़ रहे थे
Yudhiṣṭhira uvāca: ko hi mūḍho vyavasyet śatror dātuṁ vasundharām | pūrvaṁ tu tvaṁ sūcī-nokā-samām api bhūmiṁ na muñcasi, idānīṁ sarvāṁ pṛthivīṁ kathaṁ tyajasi? evaṁ aiśvaryaṁ prāpya imāṁ vasudhāṁ śāsitvā kaḥ mūḍhaḥ śatroḥ haste svāṁ bhūmiṁ dātum icchet?
युधिष्ठिर उवाच— को हि मूढो व्यवस्येत शत्रोर्दातुं वसुन्धराम्। पूर्वं सूच्यग्रसमां भूमिमपि न ददासि; इदानीं कथं सर्वां पृथिवीं त्यक्तुमिच्छसि? ऐश्वर्यमासाद्य वसुधां प्रशास्य कः पुमान् मूढः स्वराज्यं शत्रुहस्ते समर्पयेत्॥
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights rājadharma and practical ethics: a ruler should not, out of confusion or weakness, surrender rightful sovereignty to an enemy—especially after having refused even minimal concessions earlier. It critiques inconsistency and warns that power and territory are responsibilities to be protected for the realm’s stability.
Yudhiṣṭhira challenges an opponent’s (or interlocutor’s) sudden claim of giving up the whole earth. He points out the earlier refusal to yield even a tiny portion of land and questions the logic and motive behind now proposing total relinquishment to an enemy.
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