Shloka 44
Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)
त्यक्त्वा छम्म त्विदं राजन क्षत्रधर्म समाश्रित: । कुरु कार्याणि सर्वाणि धर्मिष्ठोडसि नरर्षभ,“राजन! नरश्रेष्ठ! यदि तुम धर्मनिष्ठ हो तो यह छल-छठ्म छोड़कर क्षत्रियधर्मका आश्रय ले उसीके अनुसार सब कार्य करो
tyaktvā chadma tv idaṃ rājan kṣatradharma-samāśritaḥ | kuru kāryāṇi sarvāṇi dharmiṣṭho 'si nararṣabha ||
त्यक्त्वा छद्म त्विदं राजन् क्षत्रधर्मं समाश्रितः। कुरु कार्याणि सर्वाणि धर्मिष्ठोऽसि नरर्षभ॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse urges ethical clarity: renounce deceit (chadma) and act according to kṣatriya-dharma—open, honorable, duty-bound conduct—because true righteousness is incompatible with trickery.
Sañjaya, in the Udyoga Parva’s counsel-and-negotiation context, addresses a king and exhorts him to stop relying on stratagems and instead proceed with decisive actions grounded in the warrior code and dharma.