जामातरं तथा शिष्यं घातयिष्ये नरेश्वरम् । तस्मान्न पार्थं यास्यामि नापि दुर्योधनं नृपम्
jāmātaraṃ tathā śiṣyaṃ ghātayiṣye nareśvaram | tasmānna pārthaṃ yāsyāmi nāpi duryodhanaṃ nṛpam
“నేను నా అల్లుడిని మరియు నా శిష్యుడిని—ఇద్దరు నరేశ్వరులను—హతముచేసి పడెదను; అందుచేత నేను పార్థుని దగ్గరకూ పోను, రాజైన దుర్యోధనుని దగ్గరకూ పోను।”
Īśvara (Śiva) narrating Balabhadra’s resolve
Listener: Devī
Scene: Balarāma foresees that taking sides would force him to kill his son-in-law and his disciple; he resolves to go neither to Arjuna nor to Duryodhana—choosing withdrawal.
Dharma includes restraint—refusing choices that force betrayal of relational duties (guru, family) and lead to adharma.
Not directly; it motivates Balabhadra’s turn toward tirtha-purification and sacred travel in Prabhāsa.
None; it is an ethical decision that precedes pilgrimage acts.