Shloka 23
Gaṅgādvāra-tīrtha, Ulūpī-saṃvāda, and Arjuna’s Dharma-Deliberation (गङ्गाद्वार-तीर्थम्, उलूपी-संवादः)
(दुर्योधनस्य महिषी काशिराजसुता तदा । धृतराष्ट्रस्य पुत्राणां बधूभि: सहिता तदा ।। पाज्चालीं प्रतिजग्राह द्रौपदी श्रीमिवापराम् । पूजयामास पूजाहाँ शचीदेवीमिवागताम् ।। ववन्दे तत्र गान्धारीं माधवी कृष्णया सह । आशिषषश्ष प्रयुक्त्वा तु पाउ्चालीं परिषस्वजे ।। परिष्वज्य च गान्धारी कृष्णां कमललोचनाम् । पुत्राणां मम पाज्चाली मृत्युरेवेत्यमन्यत । सा चिन्त्य विदुरं प्राह युक्तित: सुबलात्मजा ।। उस समय दुर्योधनकी रानीने, जो काशिराजकी पुत्री थी, धृतराष्ट्रपुत्रोंकी अन्य वधुओंके साथ आकर द्वितीय लक्ष्मीके समान सुन्दरी पंचालराजकुमारी द्रौपदीकी अगवानी की। द्रौपदी सर्वथा पूजाके योग्य थी। उसे देखकर ऐसा प्रतीत होता था मानो साक्षात् शचीदेवीने पदार्पण किया हो। दुर्योधन-पत्नीने उसका भलीभाँति सत्कार किया। वहाँ पहुँचकर कुन्तीने अपनी बहूरानी द्रौपदीके साथ गान्धारीको प्रणाम किया। गान्धारीने आशीर्वाद देकर द्रौपदीको हृदयसे लगा लिया। कमलसदृश नेत्रोंवाली कृष्णाको हृदयसे लगाकर गान्धारी सोचने लगी कि यह पाज्चाली तो मेरे पुत्रोंकी मृत्यु ही है। यह सोचकर सुबलपुत्री गान्धारीने युक्तिसे विदुरको बुलाकर कहा-- गान्धायुवाच कुन्तीं राजसुतां क्षत्त: सवधूं सपरिच्छदाम् । पाण्डोर्निवेशनं शीघ्र नीयतां यदि रोचते ।। करणेन मुहूर्तेन नक्षत्रेण शुभे तिथौ । यथासुखं तथा कुन्ती रंस्यते स्वगृहे सुतैः ।। फिर गान्धारीने कहा--विदुर! यदि तुम्हें जँचे तो राजकुमारी कुन्तीको पुत्रवधूसहित शीघ्र ही पाण्डुके महलमें ले जाओ और वहीं इनका सारा सामान भी पहुँचा दो। उत्तम करण, मुहूर्त और नक्षत्रसहित शुभ तिथिको उस महलमें इन्हें प्रवेश करना चाहिये, जिससे कुन्तीदेवी अपने घरमें पुत्रोंके साथ सुखपूर्वक रह सकें। वैशम्पायन उवाच तथेत्येव तदा क्षत्ता कारयामास तत्तदा ।। पूजयामासुरत्यर्थ बान्धवा: पाण्डवांस्तदा । नागरा: श्रेणिमुख्याश्व॒ पूजयन्ति सम पाण्डवान् ।। भीष्मो द्रोणस्तथा कर्णो बाह्लीक: ससुतस्तदा । शासनाद् धृतराष्ट्रस्य अकुर्वन्नतिथिक्रियाम् ।। एवं विहरतां तेषां पाण्डवानां महात्मनाम् | नेता सर्वस्य कार्यस्य विदुरो राजशासनात् ।।) वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--जनमेजय! “बहुत अच्छा” कहकर उसी समय विदुरने वैसी ही व्यवस्था की। सभी बन्धु-बान्धवोंने पाण्डवोंका उस समय अत्यन्त आदर-सत्कार किया। प्रमुख नागरिकों तथा सेठोंने भी पाण्डवोंका पूजन किया। भीष्म, द्रोण, कर्ण तथा पुत्रसहित बाह्लीकने धृतराष्ट्रके आदेशसे पाण्डवोंका आतिथ्य-सत्कार किया। इस प्रकार हस्तिनापुरमें विहार करनेवाले महात्मा पाण्डवोंके सभी कार्योंमें विदुरजी ही नेता थे। उन्हें इसके लिये राजाकी ओरसे आदेश प्राप्त हुआ था। विश्रान्तास्ते महात्मान: कंचित् काल॑ महाबला: । आहूता धृतराष्ट्रेण राज्ञा शांतनवेन च,कुछ कालतक विश्राम कर लेनेपर उन महाबली महात्मा पाण्डवोंको राजा धुृतराष्ट्र तथा भीष्मजीने बुलाया
Vaiśampāyana uvāca |
Duryodhanasya mahiṣī Kāśirājasutā tadā |
Dhṛtarāṣṭrasya putrāṇāṁ vadhūbhiḥ sahitā tadā ||
Pāñcālīṁ pratijagrāha Draupadīṁ Śrīm ivāparām |
Pūjayāmāsa pūjārhāṁ Śacīdevīm ivāgatām ||
Vavande tatra Gāndhārīṁ Mādhavī Kṛṣṇayā saha |
Āśiṣaḥ prayuktvā tu Pāñcālīṁ pariṣasvaje ||
Pariṣvajya ca Gāndhārī Kṛṣṇāṁ kamalalocanām |
Putrāṇāṁ mama Pāñcālī mṛtyur evety amanyata ||
Sā cintya Viduraṁ prāha yuktitaḥ Subalātmajā ||
Gāndhāry uvāca |
Kuntīṁ rājasutāṁ kṣattaḥ savadhūṁ saparicchadām |
Pāṇḍor niveśanaṁ śīghraṁ nīyatāṁ yadi rocate ||
Karaṇena muhūrtena nakṣatreṇa śubhe tithau |
Yathāsukhaṁ tathā Kuntī raṁsyate svagṛhe sutaiḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana uvāca |
Tathety eva tadā kṣattā kārayāmāsa tat tadā ||
Pūjayāmāsur atyarthaṁ bāndhavāḥ Pāṇḍavāṁs tadā |
Nāgarāḥ śreṇimukhyāś ca pūjayanti sma Pāṇḍavān ||
Bhīṣmo Droṇas tathā Karṇo Bāhlīkaḥ sasutas tadā |
Śāsanād Dhṛtarāṣṭrasya akurvann atithikriyām ||
Evaṁ viharataṁ teṣāṁ Pāṇḍavānāṁ mahātmanām |
Netā sarvasya kāryasya Viduro rājaśāsanāt ||
Vaiśampāyana said: At that time Duryodhana’s queen, the daughter of the king of Kāśī, came together with the other daughters-in-law of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and received Pāñcālī—Draupadī—like a second Śrī (Lakṣmī). She honored her as one worthy of worship, as though Śacī herself had arrived. There, Kuntī, accompanied by Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī), bowed to Gāndhārī. Gāndhārī blessed Pāñcālī and embraced her. Yet, after embracing lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇā, Gāndhārī reflected: “This Pāñcālī will be the death of my sons.” Thinking thus, Subalā’s daughter (Gāndhārī) spoke with calculated prudence to Vidura. Gāndhārī said: “O Kṣattṛ (Vidura), if it seems proper to you, take the princess Kuntī—together with her daughter-in-law and all her belongings—quickly to Pāṇḍu’s residence. Let their entry be arranged on an auspicious lunar day, with favorable karaṇa, muhūrta, and nakṣatra, so that Kuntī may dwell happily in her own home with her sons.” Vaiśampāyana said: Vidura replied, “So be it,” and immediately made the arrangements. The relatives honored the Pāṇḍavas greatly; the leading townsmen and guild-heads also paid them respect. Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Karṇa, and Bāhlīka with his son, acting under Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s command, performed the duties of hospitality. Thus, while the great-souled Pāṇḍavas lived and moved about in Hastināpura, Vidura—by royal order—served as the chief organizer of all their affairs. Ethically, the passage juxtaposes outward civility and ritual honor with inward apprehension and political calculation: Gāndhārī’s blessing and embrace are genuine acts of dharma, yet her fear for her sons leads her to manage circumstances through auspicious timing and controlled relocation, revealing how dharma, omen-consciousness, and courtly strategy intertwine in the epic’s domestic sphere.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights how dharma operates in layered ways: public honor, blessings, and hospitality are obligatory and virtuous, yet inner motives—fear, foresight, and political calculation—can coexist with outward righteousness. It also shows the epic’s emphasis on auspicious timing and orderly conduct as tools for maintaining social harmony, even amid looming conflict.
Duryodhana’s queen and the other Kaurava daughters-in-law formally welcome Draupadī. Kuntī and Draupadī pay respects to Gāndhārī, who blesses and embraces Draupadī but privately fears she will bring ruin to her sons. Gāndhārī then instructs Vidura to move Kuntī and the Pāṇḍavas’ household to Pāṇḍu’s residence at an auspicious time. Vidura arranges it, and the court elders and citizens extend hospitality to the Pāṇḍavas, with Vidura overseeing their affairs by royal order.