Shloka 1
Udyoga Parva, Adhyāya 148: Vāsudeva’s Report—Mobilization and the Nīti Sequence
Sāma–Bheda–Daṇḍa
अत-#-#कात एकोनपज्चाशर्दाधिकशततमो< ध्याय: दुर्योधनके प्रति धृतराष्ट्रके युक्तिसंगत वचन--पाण्डवोंको आधा राज्य देनेके लिये आदेश वायुदेव उवाच एवमुक्ते तु गान्धार्या धृतराष्ट्रो जनेश्वर: । दुर्योधनमुवाचेदं राजमध्ये जनाधिप
vāyudeva uvāca | evam ukte tu gāndhāryā dhṛtarāṣṭro janeśvaraḥ | duryodhanam uvācedaṃ rājamadhye janādhipa ||
Vāyudeva said: When Gāndhārī had spoken thus, King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, lord of men, addressed Duryodhana in the midst of the assembled kings: “O ruler of men …” — introducing Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s reasonable, conciliatory counsel, urging a just settlement by granting the Pāṇḍavas their rightful share, so that a kin-slaying war might be averted.
वायुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an ethical moment of statecraft: after a moral admonition (from Gāndhārī), the king is prompted to speak publicly and reasonably, implying that a ruler should prefer just compromise and the prevention of fratricidal war over pride and obstinacy.
Following Gāndhārī’s words, Dhṛtarāṣṭra turns to Duryodhana in the royal assembly and begins a formal address. The surrounding context (as indicated in the edition’s heading) is Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s attempt to persuade Duryodhana toward a settlement—granting the Pāṇḍavas their rightful share—to avert war.