Shloka 26
Nara-Nārāyaṇa Precedent and Bhīṣma’s Counsel on Kṛṣṇa–Arjuna; Karṇa’s Reply
नचेद् ग्रहीष्यसे वाक््यं श्रोतासि सुबहून् हतान् तवैव हि मतं सर्वे कुरव: पर्युपासते,यदि मेरा कहना नहीं मानोगे तो एक दिन सुनोगे कि हमारे बहुत-से सगे-सम्बन्धी मार डाले गये; क्योंकि सब कौरव तुम्हारे ही मतका अनुसरण करते हैं
naced grahīṣyase vākyaṃ śrotāsi subahūn hatān tavaiva hi mataṃ sarve kuravaḥ paryupāsate
नचेद् ग्रहीष्यसे वाक्यं श्रोतासि सुबहून् हतान्। तवैव हि मतं सर्वे कुरवः पर्युपासते॥
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A leader whose opinion guides everyone bears heightened moral responsibility: rejecting sound counsel can cause widespread harm, even the death of one’s own kin, because collective action follows the leader’s stance.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations, a warning is voiced (reported by Vaiśampāyana) that if the addressed leader refuses the offered counsel, the inevitable outcome will be news of many relatives slain—since the Kurus align themselves with that leader’s decision.