वैशंपायन उवाच
ततः शांतनवो भीष्मो दुर्योधनम् अमर्षणम् ॥
केशवस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रोवाच भरतर्षभ ॥
कृष्णेन वाक्यम् उक्तो ऽसि सुहृदां शमम् इच्छता ॥
अनुपश्यस्व तत् तात मा मन्युवशम् अन्वगाः ॥
अकृत्वा वचनं तात केशवस्य महात्मनः ॥
श्रेयो न जातु न सुखं न कल्याणम् अवाप्स्यसि ॥
धर्म्यम् अर्थं महाबाहुर् आह त्वां तात केशवः ॥
तम् अर्थम् अभिपद्यस्व मा राजन् नीनशः प्रजाः ॥
इमां श्रियं प्रज्वलितां भारतीं सर्वराजसु ॥
जीवतो धृतराष्ट्रस्य दौरात्म्याद् भ्रंशयिष्यसि ॥
vaiśaṃpāyana uvāca
tataḥ śāṃtanavo bhīṣmo duryodhanam amarṣaṇam ||
keśavasya vacaḥ śrutvā provāca bharatarṣabha ||
kṛṣṇena vākyam ukto 'si suhṛdāṃ śamam icchatā ||
anupaśyasva tat tāta mā manyuvaśam anvagāḥ ||
akṛtvā vacanaṃ tāta keśavasya mahātmanaḥ ||
śreyo na jātu na sukhaṃ na kalyāṇam avāpsyasi ||
dharmyam arthaṃ mahābāhur āha tvāṃ tāta keśavaḥ ||
tam artham abhipadyasva mā rājan nīnaśaḥ prajāḥ ||
imāṃ śriyaṃ prajvalitāṃ bhāratīṃ sarvarājasu ||
jīvato dhṛtarāṣṭrasya daurātmyād bhraṃśayiṣyasi ||
Vaishampayana said: 'Then Bhishma, son of Shantanu, having heard the words of Keshava, spoke to the impatient Duryodhana, O bull among the Bharatas: "Krishna, wishing peace for his friends, has spoken a word to you; consider it, child, and do not fall under the sway of anger. Without carrying out the word of the great-souled Keshava, child, you will never obtain good, happiness, or prosperity. Mighty-armed Keshava has told you a righteous and beneficial course; accept that course, O king, and do not destroy your subjects. Through your evil nature you will strip the Bharatas of this blazing royal glory, renowned among all kings, even while Dhritarashtra still lives."'
a487e407e34d · published Jul 17, 2026, 5:51:08 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
In this chapter, the elders of the Kurus, one after another, affirm Krishna's words: peace with the Pandavas is not weakness but the only way to preserve the family, the parents, the subjects, and the royal glory. Duryodhana is warned not with abstract phrases but through the concrete consequences of his choice: the death of his kin, the loss of the kingdom, and remorse to come.