मनीषिणां तत्त्वविच्छेदनाय; विधीयते सत्सु वृत्तिः सदैव ॥
अब्राह्मणाः सन्ति तु ये न वैद्याः; सर्वोच्छेदं साधु मन्येत तेभ्यः ॥
तदर्था नः पितरो ये च पूर्वे; पितामहा ये च तेभ्यः परे ऽन्ये ॥
प्रज्ञैषिणो ये च हि कर्म चक्रुर्; नास्त्य् अन्ततो नास्ति नास्तीति मन्ये ॥
यत् किं चिद् एतद् वित्तम् अस्यां पृथिव्यां; यद् देवानां त्रिदशानां परत्र ॥
प्राजापत्यं त्रिदिवं ब्रह्मलोकं; नाधर्मतः संजय कामये तत् ॥
धर्मेश्वरः कुशलो नीतिमांश् चाप्य्; उपासिता ब्राह्मणानां मनीषी ॥
नानाविधांश् चैव महाबलांश् च; राजन्यभोजान् अनुशास्ति कृष्णः ॥
यदि ह्य् अहं विसृजन् स्याम् अगर्ह्यो; युध्यमानो यदि जह्यां स्वधर्मम् ॥
महायशाः केशवस् तद् ब्रवीतु; वासुदेवस् तूभयोर् अर्थकामः ॥
manīṣiṇāṃ tattvavicchedanāya; vidhīyate satsu vṛttiḥ sadaiva ||
abrāhmaṇāḥ santi tu ye na vaidyāḥ; sarvocchedaṃ sādhu manyeta tebhyaḥ ||
tadarthā naḥ pitaro ye ca pūrve; pitāmahā ye ca tebhyaḥ pare 'nye ||
prajñaiṣiṇo ye ca hi karma cakrur; nāsty antato nāsti nāstīti manye ||
yat kiṃ cid etad vittam asyāṃ pṛthivyāṃ; yad devānāṃ tridaśānāṃ paratra ||
prājāpatyaṃ tridivaṃ brahmalokaṃ; nādharmataḥ saṃjaya kāmaye tat ||
dharmeśvaraḥ kuśalo nītimāṃś cāpy; upāsitā brāhmaṇānāṃ manīṣī ||
nānāvidhāṃś caiva mahābalāṃś ca; rājanyabhojān anuśāsti kṛṣṇaḥ ||
yadi hy ahaṃ visṛjan syām agarhyo; yudhyamāno yadi jahyāṃ svadharmam ||
mahāyaśāḥ keśavas tad bravītu; vāsudevas tūbhayor arthakāmaḥ ||
And, O Sanjaya, you should hold worthy those who keep to the customs of their own order in ordinary times, as well as those who do not keep to them in a season of distress; and you should blame those who act otherwise in ordinary times, yet cling to the established rules in times of suffering. As for those who wish to bring their minds under control, when they strive to attain knowledge of the self, the practices ordained for what is best are alike appointed for brahmins. As for those who are not brahmins and do not strive for knowledge of the self, they should follow the practices prescribed for their respective orders, whether in times of distress or at other times. This very path was followed by our fathers and grandfathers before us, and by those who lived before them. As for those who desire knowledge and refrain from action, they too hold to the same view and consider themselves orthodox. Therefore I do not think there is any other path. Whatever wealth there may be on this earth, whatever there may be among the gods, or whatever is beyond their reach — the realm of Prajapati, or heaven, or the realm of Brahma himself — I, O Sanjaya, would not seek it by unrighteous means.
809ced3744b7 · published Jul 17, 2026, 3:43:08 AM UTC
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This passage (5.28.6-10) develops the central theme of the Udyoga-parva: the effort toward peace unfolds against the backdrop of an already looming war. Key themes: Krishna, Sanjaya, dharma. Dharma is revealed here through speech, the choice of an embassy, faithfulness to one’s word, and the responsibility of kings for the consequences of their decisions.