Shloka 203
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 3 — Sātyaki on Inner Disposition, Legitimacy, and Coercive Readiness
अधर्म्यमयशस्यं च शात्रवाणां प्रयाचनम् । आततायी शत्रुओंका वध करनेमें कोई पाप नहीं शत्रुओंके सामने याचना करना ही अधर्म और अपयशकी बात है
adharmyam ayaśasyaṃ ca śātravāṇāṃ prayācanam | ātatāyī śatrūṇāṃ vadhe karaṇe na kaścid doṣaḥ; śatrūṇāṃ sammukhe yācanā eva adharmaḥ ayaśasyaṃ ca ||
Vaiśampāyana nói: “Cầu xin hay van hòa trước kẻ thù là điều phi nghĩa và nhục nhã. Khi đối phương là ātatāyin—kẻ xâm lăng tàn bạo, ra tay không kiềm chế—thì giết kẻ thù ấy không mang tội lỗi; chính việc quỳ lụy trước mặt họ mới là adharma và chuốc lấy ô danh.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts two ethical stances: pleading before hostile enemies is portrayed as adharma and a source of disgrace, while resisting—and even killing—an ātatāyin (a violent aggressor) is treated as morally blameless within the dharma framework, especially in a kṣatriya context.
In the Udyoga Parva’s lead-up to war, the narration frames the moral logic of conflict: when opponents behave as ruthless aggressors, seeking mercy from them is condemned as dishonorable, and decisive action against them is justified as duty rather than sin.