Shloka 21
Bhīṣma Parva, Adhyāya 4 — Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Vyāsa Saṃvāda on Kāla and Jayalakṣaṇa
Signs of Victory
यस्य भूमिस्तस्य सर्व जगत् स्थावरजड्भमम् । तत्रातिगृद्धा राजानो विनिधघ्नन्तीतरेतरम्
yasya bhūmis tasya sarvaṃ jagat sthāvara-jaṅgamam | tatrātigṛddhā rājāno vinighnanti itaretaram ||
三阇耶说道：“谁占有土地，便被认为占有整个世界——一切动者与不动者。因此诸王因对疆土贪欲过甚，彼此相击相杀。”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse critiques territorial greed: treating land as ownership of the entire living world leads rulers to justify violence. It highlights how attachment to power and property becomes a root cause of adharma and mutual destruction.
Sañjaya is explaining to Dhṛtarāṣṭra the underlying motive that drives kings into conflict—covetousness for land—framing the coming slaughter as fueled by political desire rather than true righteousness.