Shloka 19
Virāṭa-sabhāyāṃ Saṃniveśaḥ — Assembly at Virāṭa’s Hall and Kṛṣṇa’s Diplomatic Counsel
राज्यं जिहीर्षटद्धिरसद्धिरुग्रै: सर्व च तद् वो विदितं यथावत् | तथापि सुहृदोंसहित राजा युधिष्ठिर उनकी भलाई ही चाहते हैं। पाण्डवोंने दूसरे-दूसरे राजाओंको युद्धमें जीतकर उन्हें पीड़ित करके जो धन स्वयं प्राप्त किया था, उसीको कुन्ती और माद्रीके ये वीर पुत्र माँग रहे हैं। जब पाण्डव बालक थे--अपना हित-अहित कुछ नहीं समझते थे, तभी इनके राज्यको हर लेनेकी इच्छासे उन उग्र प्रकृतिके दुष्ट शत्रुओंने संघबद्ध होकर भाँति-भाँतिके षड़यन्त्रोंद्वारा इन्हें मार डालनेकी पूरी चेष्टा की थी; ये सब बातें आपलोग अच्छी तरह जानते होंगे ।। १७-१८ है ।। तेषां च लोभ॑ प्रसमीक्ष्य वृद्ध धर्मज्ञतां चापि युधिष्ठिरस्थ,अतः सभी सभासद् कौरवोंके बढ़े हुए लोभको, युधिष्ठिरकी धर्मज्ञताको तथा इन दोनोंके पारस्परिक सम्बन्धको देखते हुए अलग-अलग तथा एक रायसे भी कुछ निश्चय करें। ये पाण्डवगण सदा ही सत्यपरायण होनेके कारण पहले की हुई प्रतिज्ञाका यथावत् पालन करके हमारे सामने उपस्थित हैं
rājyaṁ jihīrṣaṭaddhir asaddhir ugraiḥ sarvaṁ ca tad vo viditaṁ yathāvat | tathāpi suhṛdbhiḥ sahito rājā yudhiṣṭhiraḥ teṣāṁ bhālai hī cāhate hai | teṣāṁ ca lobhaṁ prasmīkṣya vṛddhaṁ dharmajñatāṁ cāpi yudhiṣṭhirasya |
You all know well, in full detail, how those fierce and unrighteous men, driven by the desire to seize the kingdom, banded together and tried by many conspiracies to destroy the Pāṇḍavas when they were still children, unable to discern their own good and harm. Yet King Yudhiṣṭhira, together with well-wishers, continues to seek only their welfare. The sons of Kuntī and Mādrī now ask only for what they themselves had formerly won as wealth by conquering other kings in battle. Therefore, having observed the elders’ swelling greed, and also Yudhiṣṭhira’s knowledge of dharma—and considering the relationship between these two—let the members of this assembly arrive at a decision, individually and also in consensus. The Pāṇḍavas, ever devoted to truth, stand before us to uphold exactly the pledge made earlier.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage contrasts greed-driven politics with dharma-guided restraint: even after suffering conspiracies and injustice, Yudhiṣṭhira remains committed to welfare and truth, and the assembly is urged to judge fairly by weighing greed against dharma.
Kṛṣṇa addresses the court/assembly, reminding them of past attempts to eliminate the Pāṇḍavas and of the Kauravas’ intent to seize the kingdom. He emphasizes Yudhiṣṭhira’s dharmic character and asks the elders and courtiers to deliberate and decide, since the Pāṇḍavas have come honoring their prior pledge.