Shloka 20
सभा पर्व, अध्याय ३७ — युधिष्ठिरस्य भीष्मोपदेशः
Yudhiṣṭhira’s Consultation and Bhīṣma’s Counsel in the Assembly
अस्य धर्मप्रवृत्तस्य पार्थिवत्वं चिकीर्षत: । करानस्मै प्रयच्छाम: सो5यमस्मान् न मन्यते,हमने तो यही समझा था कि यह धर्माचरणमें संलग्न रहनेवाला क्षत्रिय सम्राट्का पद पाना चाहता है तो अच्छा ही है। यही सोचकर हम उसे कर देते हैं, परंतु यह राजा युधिष्ठिर हमलोगोंको नहीं मानता है
asya dharmapravṛttasya pārthivatvaṃ cikīrṣataḥ | karān asmai prayacchāmaḥ so 'yam asmān na manyate ||
“We thought: ‘This man is devoted to dharma and seeks the status of a sovereign king; that is only fitting.’ With that in mind, we offered him tribute. Yet this King Yudhiṣṭhira does not acknowledge us—he does not treat us as worthy of regard.”
शिशुपाल उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how political submission (paying tribute) is tied to expectations of reciprocal recognition and honor. It exposes the ethical tension between outward compliance and inner resentment: when respect is perceived as lacking, allegiance can turn into grievance, fueling conflict despite the language of dharma.
Śiśupāla criticizes Yudhiṣṭhira in the context of royal authority and tribute. He claims that various rulers paid taxes to Yudhiṣṭhira because they assumed he sought rightful sovereignty grounded in dharma, but now he complains that Yudhiṣṭhira does not properly acknowledge or honor them—framing Yudhiṣṭhira’s rise as politically offensive.