Mahabharata 3.21.16 — Vana Parva, Adhyaya 21, Shloka 16
Dvārakā’s Distress and the Saubha Engagement (द्वारकाव्यग्रता तथा सौभयुद्धम्)
सात्यकिं बलदेवं च प्रद्युम्नं च महारथम् । जगहें मनसा वीर तच्छुत्वा महदप्रियम्,वीर युधिष्ठिर! वह महान् अप्रिय वृत्तान्त सुनकर मैं मन-ही-मन सात्यकि, बलरामजी तथा महारथी प्रद्युम्नकी निन्दा करने लगा
sātyakiṃ baladevaṃ ca pradyumnaṃ ca mahāratham | jagarhe manasā vīra tac chrutvā mahad apriyam ||
বায়ু বললেন— “বীর! সেই মহা অপ্রিয় সংবাদ শুনে আমি মনে মনে সাত্যকি, বলদেব এবং মহারথী প্রদ্যুম্নকে তিরস্কার করতে লাগলাম।”
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights ethical self-restraint and moral evaluation: when painful outcomes occur, one may feel compelled to judge even respected figures, yet the censure here is internal (manasā), suggesting awareness of the gravity and potential impropriety of open condemnation without full knowledge.
Vāyudeva addresses Yudhiṣṭhira and says that upon hearing a highly unwelcome piece of news, he mentally reproached Sātyaki, Balarāma, and Pradyumna—implying that their actions or inaction were seen as connected to the distressing event being reported.
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