Shloka 3
Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 106: Pūrva-Diśa Praśaṃsā
Praise and Primacy of the Eastern Quarter
कुत: पुष्टानि मित्राणि कुतोर्डर्था: संचय: कुतः । हयानां चन्द्रशु भ्राणां शतान्यष्टौ कुतो मम
kutaḥ puṣṭāni mitrāṇi kuto 'rthāḥ saṃcayaḥ kutaḥ | hayānāṃ candraśubhrāṇāṃ śatāny aṣṭau kuto mama ||
Nārada said: “From where will I obtain friends strengthened by wealth? From where will resources come to me, and from where will there be any store of accumulated riches? And from where, for my sake, will I obtain eight hundred horses, white and radiant like the moon?”
नारद उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a pragmatic ethical insight of statecraft: alliances and large undertakings require material support. Friendship and political backing often depend on resources, and without means one cannot easily secure allies or fulfill demanding obligations.
Nārada voices a concern about feasibility—questioning where he could obtain wealthy supporters, gather funds, and procure a large number of high-quality white horses—underscoring the logistical and economic realities behind major plans in the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations.