स जानंस् तस्य चात्मानं मम चैव परं मतम् ॥
अजानन्न् इव चाकस्माद् अर्जुनाद्याभिशङ्कसे ॥
यच् चापि परमं दिव्यं तच् चाप्य् अवगतं त्वया ॥
विधानविहितं पार्थ कथं शर्म भवेत् परैः ॥
यत् तु वाचा मया शक्यं कर्मणा चापि पाण्डव ॥
करिष्ये तद् अहं पार्थ न त्व् आशंसे शमं परैः ॥
कथं गोहरणे ब्रूयाद् इच्छञ् शर्म तथाविधम् ॥
याच्यमानो ऽपि भीष्मेण संवत्सरगते ऽध्वनि ॥
तदैव ते पराभूता यदा संकल्पितास् त्वया ॥
लवशः क्षणशश् चापि न च तुष्टः सुयोधनः ॥
sa jānaṃs tasya cātmānaṃ mama caiva paraṃ matam ||
ajānann iva cākasmād arjunādyābhiśaṅkase ||
yac cāpi paramaṃ divyaṃ tac cāpy avagataṃ tvayā ||
vidhānavihitaṃ pārtha kathaṃ śarma bhavet paraiḥ ||
yat tu vācā mayā śakyaṃ karmaṇā cāpi pāṇḍava ||
kariṣye tad ahaṃ pārtha na tv āśaṃse śamaṃ paraiḥ ||
kathaṃ goharaṇe brūyād icchañ śarma tathāvidham ||
yācyamāno 'pi bhīṣmeṇa saṃvatsaragate 'dhvani ||
tadaiva te parābhūtā yadā saṃkalpitās tvayā ||
lavaśaḥ kṣaṇaśaś cāpi na ca tuṣṭaḥ suyodhanaḥ ||
This, O Bhimasena, was the meaning of my words. I did not mean to suggest that victory over the enemy would be assured. A man, when his mind is troubled, must not lose heart, and must yield neither to despondency nor to despair. It was for this very reason that I spoke to you as I did. When tomorrow comes, I shall go, O Pandava, to Dhritarashtra. I shall strive for peace without sacrificing your interests. If the Kauravas make peace, my renown will be boundless; your aims will be achieved, and great benefit will follow as well. But if the Kauravas, disregarding my words, resolve to hold to their own view, then without doubt there will be a terrible war.
66ddb147ddf3 · published Jul 17, 2026, 4:51:54 AM UTC
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This passage (5.77.16-20) develops the central theme of the Udyoga-parva: the effort for peace is already underway against the backdrop of an inevitable war. Key themes: the Pandavas, Bhishma. Dharma reveals itself here through speech, the choice of embassy, fidelity to promises, and the responsibility of kings for the consequences of their decisions.