किं ते जनक्षयेणेह कृतेन भरतर्षभ ॥
यस्मिञ् जिते जितं ते स्यात् पुमान् एकः स दृश्यताम् ॥
यः स देवान् सगन्धर्वान् सयक्षासुरपन्नगान् ॥
अजयत् खाण्डवप्रस्थे कस् तं युध्येत मानवः ॥
तथा विराटनगरे श्रूयते महद् अद्भुतम् ॥
एकस्य च बहूनां च पर्याप्तं तन् निदर्शनम् ॥
तम् अजेयम् अनाधृष्यं विजेतुं जिष्णुम् अच्युतम् ॥
आशंससीह समरे वीरम् अर्जुनम् ऊर्जितम् ॥
मद्द्वितीयं पुनः पार्थं कः प्रार्थयितुम् अर्हति ॥
युद्धे प्रतीपम् आयान्तम् अपि साक्षात् पुरंदरः ॥
kiṃ te janakṣayeṇeha kṛtena bharatarṣabha ||
yasmiñ jite jitaṃ te syāt pumān ekaḥ sa dṛśyatām ||
yaḥ sa devān sagandharvān sayakṣāsurapannagān ||
ajayat khāṇḍavaprasthe kas taṃ yudhyeta mānavaḥ ||
tathā virāṭanagare śrūyate mahad adbhutam ||
ekasya ca bahūnāṃ ca paryāptaṃ tan nidarśanam ||
tam ajeyam anādhṛṣyaṃ vijetuṃ jiṣṇum acyutam ||
āśaṃsasīha samare vīram arjunam ūrjitam ||
maddvitīyaṃ punaḥ pārthaṃ kaḥ prārthayitum arhati ||
yuddhe pratīpam āyāntam api sākṣāt puraṃdaraḥ ||
"Why should you bring about the destruction of people here, O bull among the Bharatas? Show me the one man whom, once defeated, you would consider everything conquered. Who defeated the gods together with the gandharvas, yakshas, asuras, and serpents at Khandavaprastha — what man would dare fight him? And in the city of Virata, as is told, a great wonder took place: that alone is sufficient proof of one man's contest against many. Here in battle you hope to defeat the invincible, impregnable, victorious, unshakeable, and mighty hero Arjuna. Who is fit to challenge Partha when I stand as his second, as he advances to meet you in battle — even if it were Purandara himself?"
4e909633d9e8 · published Jul 17, 2026, 5:51:08 AM UTC
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Krishna addresses his teaching to Duryodhana directly and practically: to set aside pride, listen to friends, hold to dharma, and choose peace with the Pandavas. The point of this passage is not abstract morality but a warning of the concrete destruction of the clan, should the desire for power be placed above truth, kinship, and good sense.