Арджуна (Дхананджая)
अर्जुन उवाच
कुरूणाम् ऋषभो राजा धर्मपुत्रो युधिष्ठिरः ॥
तस्य पार्थिवताम् ईप्से करस् तस्मै प्रदीयताम् ॥
भवान् पितृसखा चैव प्रीयमाणो मयापि च ॥
ततो नाज्ञापयामि त्वां प्रीतिपूर्वं प्रदीयताम् ॥
arjuna uvāca
kurūṇām ṛṣabho rājā dharmaputro yudhiṣṭhiraḥ ||
tasya pārthivatām īpse karas tasmai pradīyatām ||
bhavān pitṛsakhā caiva prīyamāṇo mayāpi ca ||
tato nājñāpayāmi tvāṃ prītipūrvaṃ pradīyatām ||
"The bull among the Kurus, the king, the son of Dharma, Yudhishthira — his sovereignty over the whole world I desire; let tribute be given to him. You are indeed the friend of my father, and dear to me as well; therefore I do not command you — let it be given with love."
4a4a39bf6968 · published Jul 16, 2026, 3:28:50 PM UTC
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Arjuna does not appropriate the victory for himself: the tribute is not his but Yudhishthira's; the conquest serves the elder's sovereignty over the world, not his own glory. It is notable, too, that the victor does not command but asks "with love," honoring in the defeated a friend of his father. Thus conquest without arrogance shows itself — where strength bows before kinship and affection. The verse teaches that the fruit of victory is offered up to the head for the common cause, and that authority softened by love is more enduring than authority held by fear.