Shloka 8
Yogakṣema, Purohita, and the Mucukunda–Vaiśravaṇa Dialogue (योगक्षेम–पुरोहित–मुचुकुन्दवैश्रवणसंवादः)
ततो वैश्रवणो राजा मुचुकुन्दमदर्शयत् । वध्यमानेषु सैन्येषु वचन चेदमब्रवीत्,इसके बाद राजा कुबेरने, अपनी सेनाको मरते देखकर राजा मुचुकुन्दको दर्शन दिया और इस प्रकार कहा
tato vaiśravaṇo rājā mucukundam adarśayat | vadhyamāneṣu sainyeṣu vacanaṃ cedam abravīt ||
Then King Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera) revealed himself to King Mucukunda. Seeing his own troops being slain, he addressed Mucukunda with these words—setting the stage for counsel on right conduct amid violence and the limits of force when dharma is at stake.
भीष्म उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames a dharmic moment: when violence escalates and armies are being destroyed, a higher authority (Kubera) intervenes through speech rather than force, implying that ethical restraint and right counsel are necessary to govern conflict.
Kubera (Vaiśravaṇa) appears before King Mucukunda at a time when Kubera’s troops are being killed, and he begins to speak—introducing the forthcoming instruction or request that follows in the next verses.