न ह्य् अहं युद्धम् इच्छामि नैतद् इच्छति बाह्लिकः ॥
न च भीष्मो न च द्रोणो नाश्वत्थामा न संजयः ॥
न सोमदत्तो न शल्यो न कृपो युद्धम् इच्छति ॥
सत्यव्रतः पुरुमित्रो जयो भूरिश्रवास् तथा ॥
येषु संप्रतितिष्ठेयुः कुरवः पीडिताः परैः ॥
ते युद्धं नाभिनन्दन्ति तत् तुभ्यं तात रोचताम् ॥
न त्वं करोषि कामेन कर्णः कारयिता तव ॥
दुःशासनश् च पापात्मा शकुनिश् चापि सौबलः ॥
दुर्योधन उवाच
नाहं भवति न द्रोणे नाश्वत्थाम्नि न संजये ॥
न विकर्णे न काम्बोजे न कृपे न च बाह्लिके ॥
na hy ahaṃ yuddham icchāmi naitad icchati bāhlikaḥ ||
na ca bhīṣmo na ca droṇo nāśvatthāmā na saṃjayaḥ ||
na somadatto na śalyo na kṛpo yuddham icchati ||
satyavrataḥ purumitro jayo bhūriśravās tathā ||
yeṣu saṃpratitiṣṭheyuḥ kuravaḥ pīḍitāḥ paraiḥ ||
te yuddhaṃ nābhinandanti tat tubhyaṃ tāta rocatām ||
na tvaṃ karoṣi kāmena karṇaḥ kārayitā tava ||
duḥśāsanaś ca pāpātmā śakuniś cāpi saubalaḥ ||
duryodhana uvāca
nāhaṃ bhavati na droṇe nāśvatthāmni na saṃjaye ||
na vikarṇe na kāmboje na kṛpe na ca bāhlike ||
O king, Bhishma, son of Shantanu, has been assigned to Shikhandin as his portion; and Virata with all his Matsya warriors will support Shikhandin. The mighty king of Madra has been assigned to the eldest son of Pandu as his portion, though some hold that the two are not very well matched. Duryodhana, with his sons and his ninety-nine brothers, together with the rulers of the east and south, has been assigned to Bhimasena as his portion. Karna, son of Vikartana, and Jayadratha, king of Sindhu, have been assigned to Arjuna as his portion. And those heroes on earth who are unable to withstand him, and who take pride in their might, have likewise been claimed by Arjuna as his portion. And these mighty archers, the five royal brothers of Kekaya, will exert their strength in battle, taking the Kekaya warriors (on Dhritarashtra's side) as their adversaries. Their portion also includes the Malavas and the Salvakas, as well as two renowned warriors of the Trigarta army, sworn to conquer or die. And all the sons of Duryodhana and Duhshasana, together with King Vrihadbala, have been assigned to the son of Subhadra as his portion. And these great archers, the sons of Draupadi, on chariots adorned with gold-embroidered banners, led by Dhrishtadyumna, will advance, O Bharata, against Drona. And Chekitana on his chariot desires to fight Somadatta in single combat, while Satyaki longs to fight Kritavarman, the chief of the Bhojas. And the heroic son of Madri, Sahadeva, who raises a terrible roar in battle, intends to take as his portion your son-in-law, the son of Suvala.
6c76bd6e14fd · published Jul 17, 2026, 4:51:26 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
This passage (5.57.6–10) develops the central theme of the Udyoga-parva: the effort toward peace already unfolding against the backdrop of an inevitable war. Key themes: Duryodhana, Sanjaya, Karna, Bhishma, war. Here dharma is revealed through speech, the choice of embassy, faithfulness to one's word, and the responsibility of kings for the consequences of their decisions.