Shloka 8
Droṇa–Vidura–Gāndhārī Counsel in the Royal Assembly (धर्मार्थयुक्ता सभा-उपदेश-प्रकरणम्)
आचार्यो वा महाभाग भारद्वाज: किमब्रवीत् । पिता वा धृतराष्ट्रस्तं गान्धारी वा किमब्रवीत्
ācāryo vā mahābhāga bhāradvājaḥ kim abravīt | pitā vā dhṛtarāṣṭras taṃ gāndhārī vā kim abravīt, mahābhāga |
Yudhiṣṭhira sprach: „O Edler, was sagte damals der verehrte Lehrer — Bhāradvājas Sohn (Droṇa)? Und was sagten sein Vater Dhṛtarāṣṭra oder seine Mutter Gāndhārī zu ihm? Berichte es mir, o Großherziger.“
युधिष्टिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds ethical accountability before war: Yudhiṣṭhira seeks to know what counsel was offered by elders and authorities (teacher, father, mother). It implies that decisions leading to conflict should be weighed against wise guidance and familial-dharmic responsibility.
In the Udyoga Parva’s lead-up to the Kurukṣetra war, Yudhiṣṭhira asks what Droṇa, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and Gāndhārī said to the concerned party (contextually, Duryodhana), requesting a report of their words and advice at that critical moment.