Shloka 88
सुधन्वाने कहा--दैत्यराज! तुम पुत्रस्नेहकी परवा न करके जो धर्मपर डटे रह गये, इससे प्रसन्न होकर मैं तुम्हारे पुत्रको यह आज्ञा देता हूँ कि यह सौ वर्षोतक जीवित रहे ।। विदुर उवाच एवं वै परमं धर्म श्रुत्वा सर्वे सभासद: । यथाप्रश्न॑ तु कृष्णाया मन्यध्वं तत्र कि परम्,विदुरजी कहते हैं--सभासदो! इस प्रकार इस उत्तम धर्ममय प्रसंगको सुनकर आप सब लोग द्रौपदीके प्रश्नके अनुसार यह बतावें कि उसके सम्बन्धमें आपकी क्या मान्यता है?
vidura uvāca—evaṁ vai paramaṁ dharmaṁ śrutvā sarve sabhāsadaḥ | yathāpraśnaṁ tu kṛṣṇāyā manyadhvaṁ tatra ki param ||
Sudhanvā said: “O king of the Daityas! Since you set aside attachment born of love for your son and stood firm in dharma, I am pleased and command that your son live for a full hundred years.” Vidura said: “O members of the assembly! Having heard this supreme principle of dharma, state now—exactly in accordance with Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī)’s question—what your considered judgment is in this matter. What higher duty remains than to answer rightly when dharma itself is being tested?”
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
When dharma is under dispute, silence becomes complicity; those with authority and learning must give a clear, reasoned judgment aligned with justice, not with fear or favoritism.
In the Kuru court, after hearing a statement framed as ‘supreme dharma,’ Vidura urges the assembled elders and courtiers to answer Draupadī’s pointed question and declare their verdict on her case.