Shloka 22
अश्रमवासिनां विषादः — Lament in Hastināpura after the Elders’ Forest Withdrawal
एवमुक्त: स राजेन्द्रो व्यासेनामितबुद्धिना
evam uktaḥ sa rājendro vyāsenāmitabuddhinā
Thus addressed by Vyāsa of immeasurable wisdom, that foremost of kings listened—positioned to respond in accordance with dharma and the counsel of a seer whose insight surpasses ordinary judgment.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the ethical weight of guidance from a realized sage: a ruler’s decisions should be shaped by dharma-informed counsel rather than personal impulse, especially in the morally complex aftermath of great events.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that the king has just been spoken to by Vyāsa, described as possessing immeasurable wisdom; the line sets up the king’s ensuing reaction or decision in the Ashramavāsika context.