Shloka 40
उलूकदूतवाक्यम् / Ulūka’s Message to the Pāṇḍavas
समितिर्धर्मराजस्य सा पार्थिवसमाकुला । शुशुभे तारवैश्षित्रा द्यौश्न्द्रेणेव भारत,भारत! राजाओंसे भरी हुई धर्मराजकी वह सभा तारों और चन्द्रमासे विचित्र शोभा धारण करनेवाले आकाशकी भाँति सुशोभित हुई
samitir dharmarājasya sā pārthiva-samākulā | śuśubhe tārā-viśitrā dyauś candreṇeva bhārata ||
Vaiśampāyana said: The royal assembly of Dharmarāja, crowded with kings, shone splendidly—like the sky made wondrous by stars and the moon.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ideal of a dharma-centered polity: when rulers gather under a righteous king, the assembly becomes luminous and orderly, suggesting that ethical leadership confers harmony and splendor even amid looming crisis.
Vaiśaṃpāyana describes Dharmarāja’s council hall at a key moment in Udyoga Parva: many kings have assembled, and their presence makes the सभा appear radiant—compared to the night sky adorned with stars and the moon—setting the scene for consequential deliberations.