Shloka 1
राजधर्मः, दण्डनीतिः, कर्तृत्व-विचारः च
Royal Duty, Lawful Discipline, and the Question of Agency
/ अपना छा | अप-_र+ द्वात्रिशोड्थध्याय: व्यासजीका अनेक युक्तियोंसे राजा युधिष्ठिरको समझाना वैशम्पायन उवाच तृष्णींभूतं तु राजानं शोचमानं युधिष्ठिरम् । तपस्वी धर्मतत्त्वज्ञ: कृष्णद्वैपायनोडब्रवीत्
vaiśampāyana uvāca | tṛṣṇīṃbhūtaṃ tu rājānaṃ śocamānaṃ yudhiṣṭhiram | tapasvī dharmatattvajñaḥ kṛṣṇadvaipāyano 'bravīt ||
Vaiśampāyana said: Seeing King Yudhiṣṭhira fallen silent and sinking into grief, the ascetic Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana—knower of dharma’s true principles—addressed him, preparing to guide the king from sorrow toward righteous understanding and action.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames dharma-instruction as the remedy for paralyzing grief: a true knower of dharma (Vyāsa) approaches the grieving king to reorient him toward ethical clarity and responsible kingship.
After the war, Yudhiṣṭhira is silent and overwhelmed with sorrow. Seeing this, Vyāsa (Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana), renowned for ascetic authority and insight into dharma, begins to speak to counsel him.