स्थिताः शमे महात्मानः पाण्डवा धर्मचारिणः ॥
योधाः समृद्धास् तद् विद्वन् नाचक्षीथा यथातथम् ॥
sthitāḥ śame mahātmānaḥ pāṇḍavā dharmacāriṇaḥ ||
yodhāḥ samṛddhās tad vidvan nācakṣīthā yathātatham ||
Do not cut down the forest with its tigers, and do not let the tigers be driven from the forest. A tiger driven out of the forest is easily killed; and a forest without a tiger is easily cut down. Therefore it is the tiger that protects the forest, and the forest that shelters the tiger. The sons of Dhritarashtra are like creepers, and the Pandavas, O Sanjaya, are Sala trees. A creeper can never flourish unless it has a great tree to cling to. The sons of Pritha stand ready to serve Dhritarashtra, just as these subduers of foes stand ready for war. Let King Dhritarashtra now do what he ought to do. The virtuous and noble sons of Pandu, though capable of fighting, still remain in place (alongside their cousins). O learned man, report all this truthfully (to Dhritarashtra).'
7bea8186c420 · published Jul 17, 2026, 3:43:08 AM UTC
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This passage (5.29.51) develops the central theme of the Udyoga-parva: the effort toward peace is already unfolding against the backdrop of an inevitable war. Key themes: the Pandavas, dharma. Dharma is revealed here through speech, the choice of an embassy, faithfulness to promises, and the responsibility of kings for the consequences of their decisions.