Shloka 28
धृतराष्ट्र-संजय संवादः — उपप्लव्यगमनाज्ञा
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Saṃjaya Dialogue: Command to Proceed to Upaplavya
तमसहां केशवं तत्र मत्वा सुग्रीवयुक्तेन रथेन कृष्णम् सम्प्राद्रव॑श्षेदिपतिं विहाय सिंहं दृष्टवा क्षुद्रमृूगा इवान्ये
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: tam asahāṃ Keśavaṃ tatra matvā Sugrīva-yuktena rathena Kṛṣṇam, samprādravac Cedi-patiṃ vihāya siṃhaṃ dṛṣṭvā kṣudra-mṛgā ivānye. Na karmaṇā sādhunā ekena nūnaṃ sukhaṃ śakyaṃ vai bhavatīha, Sañjaya; sarvātmanā parijetaṃ vayaṃ cen na śaknumo Dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putram.
वैशम्पायन उवाच— तमसहं केशवं तत्र मत्वा सुग्रीवयुक्तेन रथेन कृष्णं, सम्प्राद्रवञ्श्चेदिपतिं विहाय नृपाः सिंहं दृष्ट्वा क्षुद्रमृगा इवान्ये। न कर्मणा साधुनैकेन नूनं सुखं शक्यं वै भवतीह संजय; सर्वात्मना परिजेतं वयं चेन्न शक्ष्यामो धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्रम्, नूनं न शक्ष्यामः केवलं सौजन्येनैव तं वशं नेतुम्।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Moral persuasion alone cannot secure peace when the opponent is unrestrained and power-driven; to protect dharma and establish stability, one must also have the capacity to check and subdue adharma through comprehensive means.
Kṛṣṇa appears as an overwhelming presence on his chariot; most kings panic and flee like small animals before a lion, with the Cedi king singled out. The passage then pivots to a sober assessment addressed to Sañjaya: without the ability to fully defeat Duryodhana, mere ‘good conduct’ will not bring about peace.