Shloka 2
अध्याय २६ — युद्ध-निन्दा, काम-दोष, तथा धार्तराष्ट्र-नीति-विश्लेषण
War-aversion, Desire as a Policy Fault, and Analysis of Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Governance
न चेद् भागं कुरवो&चन्यत्र युद्धात् प्रयच्छेरंस्तुभ्यमजातशत्रो । भैक्षचर्यामन्धकवृष्णिराज्ये श्रेयो मन््ये न तु युद्धेन राज्यम्,अजातशत्रो! यदि कौरव युद्ध किये बिना आपको राज्यका भाग न दें, तो भी अन्धक और वृष्णिवंशी क्षत्रियोंके राज्यमें भीख माँगकर जीवन-निर्वाह कर लेना मैं आपके लिये श्रेष्ठ समझता हूँ; परंतु युद्ध करके राज्य लेना अच्छा नहीं समझता
na ced bhāgaṃ kuravo 'nyatra yuddhāt prayaccheras tubhyam ajātaśatro | bhaikṣacaryām andhakavṛṣṇirājye śreyo manye na tu yuddhena rājyam, ajātaśatro ||
न चेद् भागं कुरवोऽन्यत्र युद्धात् प्रयच्छेरंस्तुभ्यमजातशत्रो । भैक्षचर्यामन्धकवृष्णिराज्ये श्रेयो मन्ये न तु युद्धेन राज्यम् ॥
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse elevates śreyas (the ethically preferable good) over political gain: even humiliating survival by alms is portrayed as better than acquiring sovereignty through violence, underscoring restraint and the moral cost of war.
Sañjaya addresses Yudhiṣṭhira (Ajātaśatru), imagining the scenario where the Kurus refuse to give him his rightful share unless he fights; Sañjaya counsels that choosing a mendicant life—even among the Andhakas and Vṛṣṇis—is preferable to waging war for the kingdom.