Shloka 11
Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)
भ्रातृभि: सहित: सर्व: सोमकैश्व सकेकयै: । कथं वा धार्मिको भूत्वा त्वमधर्मे मन: कृथा:,“राजन! तुम तो अपने सभी भाइयों, सोमकों और केकयोंसहित बड़े धर्मात्मा बनते हो। धर्मात्मा होकर अधर्ममें कैसे मन लगा रहे हो?
bhrātṛbhiḥ sahitaḥ sarvaḥ somakaiś ca kekayaiḥ | kathaṃ vā dhārmiko bhūtvā tvam adharme manaḥ kṛthāḥ ||
Sañjaya said: “O King, you stand together with all your brothers, along with the Somakas and the Kekayas, presenting yourself as righteous. How, then, while being devoted to dharma, can you set your mind upon adharma?”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
A claim to righteousness must be consistent with one’s intentions and choices; aligning the mind with adharma—especially in matters leading to conflict—undermines the very identity of being dhārmika.
Sanjaya addresses the king (Dhritarashtra), pointing out the contradiction between appearing righteous—surrounded by allies and kin—and harboring intentions that support unrighteous action, in the tense lead-up to the Kurukshetra war.