शर्म तैः सह वा नो ऽस्तु तव वा यच् चिकीर्षितम् ॥
विचार्यमाणो यः कामस् तव कृष्ण स नो गुरुः ॥
न स नार्हति दुष्टात्मा वधं ससुतबान्धवः ॥
येन धर्मसुते दृष्ट्वा न सा श्रीर् उपमर्षिता ॥
यच् चाप्य् अपश्यतोपायं धर्मिष्ठं मधुसूदन ॥
उपायेन नृशंसेन हृता दुर्द्यूतदेविना ॥
कथं हि पुरुषो जातः क्षत्रियेषु धनुर्धरः ॥
समाहूतो निवर्तेत प्राणत्यागे ऽप्य् उपस्थिते ॥
अधर्मेण जितान् दृष्ट्वा वने प्रव्रजितांस् तथा ॥
वध्यतां मम वार्ष्णेय निर्गतो ऽसौ सुयोधनः ॥
śarma taiḥ saha vā no 'stu tava vā yac cikīrṣitam ||
vicāryamāṇo yaḥ kāmas tava kṛṣṇa sa no guruḥ ||
na sa nārhati duṣṭātmā vadhaṃ sasutabāndhavaḥ ||
yena dharmasute dṛṣṭvā na sā śrīr upamarṣitā ||
yac cāpy apaśyatopāyaṃ dharmiṣṭhaṃ madhusūdana ||
upāyena nṛśaṃsena hṛtā durdyūtadevinā ||
kathaṃ hi puruṣo jātaḥ kṣatriyeṣu dhanurdharaḥ ||
samāhūto nivarteta prāṇatyāge 'py upasthite ||
adharmeṇa jitān dṛṣṭvā vane pravrajitāṃs tathā ||
vadhyatāṃ mama vārṣṇeya nirgato 'sau suyodhanaḥ ||
-- the slayer of Vala -- not even these three, with all their strength, could drag away a man who has laid hold of me. I shall easily trample underfoot the very earth of all the kshatriyas who come to fight the Pandavas. You do not know, O Achyuta, with what valor I conquered the kings of the earth and subdued them. If indeed you do not know my prowess, which is like the fierce energy of the midday sun, you shall come to know it, O Janardana, in a fierce hand-to-hand battle. You wound me with your harsh words, causing me pain like the pain of lancing a foul abscess. But know that I am mightier than what I have said of myself. On the day the fierce and ruinous battle begins, you shall see me strike down elephants and warriors on chariots, those fighting on horses and those on elephants, and slay in fury the best of the kshatriya warriors.
9bce5ff4307d · published Jul 17, 2026, 4:51:54 AM UTC
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This passage (5.76.11-15) develops the central theme of the Udyoga-parva: the effort for peace unfolds against the backdrop of an unavoidable war. Key themes: Krishna, dharma. Here dharma is revealed through speech, the choice of an embassy, faithfulness to promises, and the responsibility of kings for the consequences of their decisions.