Shloka 40
सूर्य–कर्णोपदेशः
Sūrya’s Counsel to Karṇa on Kīrti and the Kuṇḍala
यदि दास्यामि ते मार्ग सैन्यस्य व्रजतो55ज्ञया । अन्ये>प्याज्ञापयिष्यन्ति मामेवं धनुषो बलात्,“यदि मैं इस समय तुम्हारी आज्ञासे तुम्हें और लंका जाती हुई तुम्हारी सेनाको मार्ग दे दूँगा तो दूसरे लोग भी इसी प्रकार धनुषके बलसे मुझपर हुक्म चलाया करेंगे
yadi dāsyāmi te mārgaṃ sainyasya vrajato 'jñayā | anye 'py ājñāpayiṣyanti mām evaṃ dhanuṣo balāt ||
摩罗迦ṇḍ耶说道：“若我依你之命，为你行军的军队指示道路，那么他人也会照样开始差遣我——只凭弓力之威。对胁迫让步一次，便是招来一个以强凌弱、以力代义的世道。”
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
Do not legitimize coercion by yielding to it: once a righteous person accepts being commanded through force, it sets a precedent that encourages others to replace dharma with intimidation.
Mārkaṇḍeya refuses to provide guidance to an advancing army merely because he is being ordered; he warns that complying under threat would invite further abuses of power by others.