Mahabharata — Shalya Parva, Shloka 6
Duryodhana’s Post-Duel Lament and Instructions (भग्नसक्थस्य विलापः)
तत्त्वतो वै समाचक्ष्व सर्वमध्वर्युसत्तम । यच्चात्र कारणं ब्रद्मन् कार्यस्यास्य विनिश्चये
tattvato vai samācakṣva sarvam adhvaryusattama | yac cātra kāraṇaṃ brahman kāryasyāsya viniścaye ||
Janamejaya said: “O best of officiating priests, tell me everything exactly as it truly is. And, O Brahman, explain also whatever reasons are involved here in arriving at a firm decision about this matter.”
जनमेजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes disciplined inquiry: one should seek a truthful, complete account (tattvataḥ, sarvam) and also understand the underlying reasons (kāraṇa) before forming a decisive judgment (viniścaya).
King Janamejaya, listening to the Mahabharata narration, asks the learned ritual authority addressed as “best of Adhvaryus” to explain the matter fully and to state the reasons that led to a particular determination about the affair under discussion.
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