Shloka 23

धृतराष्ट्रस्य बलाबलचिन्ता

Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Appraisal of Strength and Preference for Śama

Devanagari script

शमो मे रोचते नित्य॑ पार्थैसतात न विग्रह: । कुरुभ्यो हि सदा मन्ये पाण्डवान्‌ शक्तिमत्तरान्‌

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca |

śamo me rocate nityaṃ pārthaiḥ sātatā na vigrahaḥ |

kurubhyo hi sadā manye pāṇḍavān śaktimattarān ||

Translation

வைசம்பாயனர் கூறினார்—எனக்கு எப்போதும் சமாதானமே விருப்பம்; பிருதையின் புதல்வர்களுடன் முரண்பாடு எனக்கு உகந்ததல்ல. ஏனெனில் நான் எந்நாளும் பாண்டவர்கள் குருக்களைவிட வலிமைமிக்கவர்கள் எனக் கருதுகிறேன்।

Word by Word

• शमः: peace, pacification
• शमः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• मे: of me / to me (my)
• मे: Adhikarana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: अस्मद्
• Form: Genitive, Singular

• रोचते: is pleasing / appeals
• रोचते: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुच्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Atmanepada

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य

• पार्थैः: with the sons of Pṛthā (the Pāṇḍavas)
• पार्थैः: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार्थ
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural

• तात: dear one / son (vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तात
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• विग्रहः: conflict, war
• विग्रहः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: विग्रह
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• कुरुभ्यः: for the Kurus
• कुरुभ्यः: Sampradana
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुरु
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Plural

• हि: indeed, for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि

• सदा: always
• सदा: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा

• मन्ये: I think / I consider
• मन्ये: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन्
• Form: Present, First, Singular, Atmanepada

• पाण्डवान्: the Pāṇḍavas
• पाण्डवान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाण्डव
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• शक्तिमत्तरान्: more powerful
• शक्तिमत्तरान्: Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्तिमत्
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural, Comparative

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Pārthas (sons of Pṛthā/Kuntī)
• Pāṇḍavas
• Kurus/Kauravas

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse upholds śama (peace) over vigraha (conflict), arguing that when a just and practical resolution is possible, conciliation is ethically preferable—especially when war would be self-destructive and strategically unwise.

What is happening in the narrative?

In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, the speaker (Vaiśampāyana narrating) voices a pro-settlement stance: he discourages initiating war with the Pāṇḍavas, judging them stronger and warning that the Kauravas face the prospect of great ruin if they persist in hostility.