Shloka 15
Udyoga Parva 21 — Bhīṣma’s Conciliatory Counsel, Karṇa’s Rebuttal, and Dhṛtarāṣṭra Sends Sañjaya (भीष्म-कर्ण-विवादः; संजय-प्रेषणम्)
अथ ते धर्ममुत्सृज्य युद्धमिच्छन्ति पाण्डवा: । आसट्येमान् कुरुश्रेष्ठान् स्मरिष्यन्ति वचो मम
atha te dharmam utsṛjya yuddham icchanti pāṇḍavāḥ | āsatya imān kuruśreṣṭhān smariṣyanti vaco mama ||
वैशम्पायन उवाच—अथ ते धर्ममुत्सृज्य युद्धमिच्छन्ति पाण्डवाः। आसट्येमान् कुरुश्रेष्ठान् स्मरिष्यन्ति वचो मम॥
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when war seems imminent, abandoning dharma is portrayed as a grave moral turning point; falsehood and unethical conduct by leaders rebounds as regret, making them ‘remember’ the warning words when consequences unfold.
Vaiśampāyana frames a warning: if the Pāṇḍavas are pushed to desire war by setting aside dharma, then the leading Kurus—implicated in untruthful conduct—will later recall this admonition when events prove disastrous.