Shloka 18
Kṛṣṇa at Duryodhana’s House: Refusal of Hospitality and Departure to Vidura (कृष्णस्य धार्तराष्ट्रनिवेशनगमनम्)
कामद्वेषौ वशे कृत्वा सतां वत्मनिवर्तते | अम्बरीषस्य मान्धातुर्ययातेर्नहुषस्य च
vaiśampāyana uvāca | kāmadveṣau vaśe kṛtvā satāṁ vatmanivartate | ambarīṣasya māndhātur yayāter nahuṣasya ca |
কাম ও দ্বেষকে বশে এনে তিনি সজ্জনদের পথ অনুসরণ করেন— অম্বরীষ, মান্ধাতা, যযাতি ও নহুষের ন্যায়।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Ethical life and righteous leadership begin with inner mastery: one should restrain kāma (desire) and dveṣa (hatred) and then align one’s conduct with the established ‘path of the good’ (satāṁ vatman), exemplified by renowned royal sages.
In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a person (contextually, a praised ruler/ideal king) is described through moral qualifications: he controls passion and aversion and follows the exemplary conduct of ancient kings such as Ambarīṣa, Māndhātṛ, Yayāti, and Nahuṣa—setting a standard for dhārmic governance amid the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations.