Shloka 15
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Duryodhana Saṃvāda on Restraint and Rājānīti
Chapter 50
तत् प्राप्तोड्सि महाबाहो कस्माच्छोचसि पुत्रक । स्फीतं राष्ट्र महाबाहो पितृपैतामहं महत्,“महाबाहो! तुम अपने भाइयोंमें बड़े हो, अतः राजाके पदपर स्थित हो, तुम्हें किस कल्याणमय वस्तुकी प्राप्ति नहीं होती है? दूसरे लोगोंके लिये जो अलभ्य है, वह उत्तम भोजन और वस्त्र तुम्हें प्राप्त हैं। फिर तुम क्यों शोक करते हो? महाबाहो! तुम्हारे बाप- दादोंका यह महान् राष्ट्र धन-धान्यसे सम्पन्न है
tat prāpto ’si mahābāho kasmāc chocasī putraka | sphītaṃ rāṣṭraṃ mahābāho pitṛpaitāmahaṃ mahat ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “O mighty-armed one, you have already attained that station; why do you grieve, my son? This great kingdom—handed down from your father and grandfathers—is prosperous and abundant. Possessing what others can scarcely obtain, you enjoy excellent food and clothing; therefore, what cause remains for sorrow?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse challenges grief in the presence of fulfilled worldly duties and prosperity, implying that lamentation should be examined against one’s actual circumstances—especially when one holds rightful status, resources, and an inherited responsibility to sustain a flourishing realm.
Vaiśampāyana narrates a speech addressed to a princely figure called “mahābāho,” questioning why he mourns despite having attained his position and enjoying the prosperity of a great ancestral kingdom.