Shloka 14
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 71 — Kṣatra-dharma Counsel, Public Legitimacy, and Mobilization
काशिकभिश्रेदिपज्चालै मत्स्यैश्न मधुसूदन । भवता चैव नाथेन पज्च ग्रामा वृता मया
Kāśikabhiś Cedi-Pañcālaiḥ Matsyaiś ca, Madhusūdana; bhavatā caiva nāthena pañca grāmā vṛtā mayā, Madhusūdana.
Wika ni Yudhiṣṭhira: “O Madhusūdana, bagama’t nasa panig namin ang mga bayani ng Kāśī, Cedi, Pañcāla, at Matsya, at bagama’t ikaw mismo ang aming tagapagtanggol at panginoon—kaya sa gayong tulong ay maaari naming igiit ang buong kaharian—gayunman, limang nayon lamang ang aking hiniling. Ito ang aking pagpipigil na ayon sa dharma, upang maiwasan ang walang saysay na pagdanak ng dugo.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when one has strong allies and the power to claim everything, dharma favors restraint, proportional demands, and sincere efforts to prevent unnecessary violence.
Yudhiṣṭhira reminds Kṛṣṇa that the Pāṇḍavas have major allied kingdoms and Kṛṣṇa’s protection, yet he deliberately limited his request to only five villages as a peace-oriented settlement.