ततो गाण्डीवनिर्घोषं श्रुत्वा पार्थस्य धीमतः ॥
गदावेगं च भीमस्य नालं सोढुं नराधिपाः ॥
तत्र मे रोचते नित्यं पार्थैः सार्धं न विग्रहः ॥
कुरुभ्यो हि सदा मन्ये पाण्डवाञ् शक्तिमत्तरान् ॥
तथा हि बलवान् राजा जरासंधो महाद्युतिः ॥
बाहुप्रहरणेनैव भीमेन निहतो युधि ॥
तस्य ते शम एवास्तु पाण्डवैर् भरतर्षभ ॥
उभयोः पक्षयोर् युक्तं क्रियताम् अविशङ्कया ॥
tato gāṇḍīvanirghoṣaṃ śrutvā pārthasya dhīmataḥ ||
gadāvegaṃ ca bhīmasya nālaṃ soḍhuṃ narādhipāḥ ||
tatra me rocate nityaṃ pārthaiḥ sārdhaṃ na vigrahaḥ ||
kurubhyo hi sadā manye pāṇḍavāñ śaktimattarān ||
tathā hi balavān rājā jarāsaṃdho mahādyutiḥ ||
bāhupraharaṇenaiva bhīmena nihato yudhi ||
tasya te śama evāstu pāṇḍavair bharatarṣabha ||
ubhayoḥ pakṣayor yuktaṃ kriyatām aviśaṅkayā ||
[Dhritarashtra, recalling Vidura's words:] 'Then, having heard the twang of the wise Partha's Gandiva and the onrush of Bhima's mace, the lords of men will not be able to bear it. Therefore it is always pleasing to me not to wage strife with the Parthas, for I always deem the Pandavas mightier than the Kurus. For even the mighty and most splendid king Jarasandha was slain in battle by Bhima with the weapon of his arms alone. So let there be peace between you and the Pandavas, O bull of the Bharatas; let it be brought about fittingly for both sides, without hesitation.'
323e31f65ba4 · published Jul 16, 2026, 4:17:50 PM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
Vidura points to both an example and its conclusion: one who crushed Jarasandha, unconquerable in arms, with bare hands alone is himself unconquerable — and so the only wisdom is peace. His counsel is not even about advantage but about survival: strife with those whom heaven protects is self-destruction. Telling is the phrase 'without hesitation': peace must be made firmly and at once, not irresolutely, as Dhritarashtra did everything. The verse teaches that prudence forbids measuring strength against one whom the Almighty protects; that the example of the past — the death of Jarasandha — is a warning of what is to come; and that the path of peace, pointed out by the wise, was no weakness but the sole salvation, and by rejecting it the house condemned itself to destruction.