अथ वा मे भवेच्छक्तिर्योगैर्बुद्धिबलेन वा।
सकामां न करिष्यामि त्वामहं पुत्रगर्धिनीम्॥
atha vā me bhavec chaktir yogair buddhi-balena vā
sakāmāṁ na kariṣyāmi tvām ahaṁ putra-gardhinīm
atha vā me bhavet śaktiḥ = I might have the capacity [to rule the kingdom]; yogaiḥ = using the principles of conciliation, compensation, division and force; vā = or; buddhi-balena = My intellectual strength; sakāmām na kariṣyāmi tvām = nevertheless will not fulfill your desires; aham = I; putra-gardhinīm = [though] you desire this for your son.
I might have the capacity [to rule the kingdom] using the principles of conciliation, compensation, dissension and force or My intellectual strength. Nevertheless, I will not fulfill your desires [though] you desire this for your son.
Yogaiḥ here refers to the means to accomplish one’s [political] objective 3.1 “Intellectual strength” refers to the eight elements of intelligence such as grasping and retention, [which are:
śuśrūṣā śravaṇaṁ caiva grahaṇaṁ dhāraṇā tathā
ūho ’poho ’rtha-vijñānaṁ tattva-jñānaṁ ca dhī-guṇāḥ
“A desire to learn, attentive listening, grasping, retention, reasoning, rejection [of unreasonable alternatives], comprehension of [all aspects of] the subject and thorough knowledge of the principles [of the subject] are the eight features of intelligence.” (Kāmandakīya Nīti-sāra 4.22)]
Bharata mentions the possibility of His possessing the capacity [to rule the kingdom using the above-mentioned principles and intellectual strength] because He was the son of a king.2 Nevertheless, He was not interested in fulfilling Kaikeyī’s desire because her desire was condemned [by the intelligent].