Shloka 82
Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)
राष्ट्रन्निवॉसनक्लेशं वनवासं च पाण्डव । कृष्णायाश्व परिक्लेश संस्मरन् पुरुषो भव,'पाण्डुनन्दन! राज्यसे निर्वासित होने, वनमें निवास करने तथा द्रौपदीके अपमानित होनेके क्लेशोंको याद करके अब भी तो मर्द बनो
rāṣṭrān nivāsana-kleśaṁ vanavāsaṁ ca pāṇḍava | kṛṣṇāyāś ca parikleśaṁ saṁsmaran puruṣo bhava ||
“O Pāṇḍava, remember the anguish of being driven from the kingdom, the hardship of dwelling in the forest, and the suffering inflicted upon Kṛṣṇā (Draupadī). Keeping these wrongs in mind, be a man—stand firm and act with resolve.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse urges moral resolve: recalling endured injustices—banishment, forest exile, and Draupadī’s humiliation—one should act with courage and steadiness to uphold justice and kṣatriya-duty, rather than lapse into weakness or indecision.
In the Udyoga Parva’s war-prelude context, Sañjaya frames the Pāṇḍavas’ past sufferings as a call to firmness. By invoking their expulsion, years of forest life, and Draupadī’s torment, he presses a Pāṇḍava to adopt a decisive stance as the conflict approaches.