Shloka 2
धृतराष्ट्र-संजय संवादः — उपप्लव्यगमनाज्ञा
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Saṃjaya Dialogue: Command to Proceed to Upaplavya
धृतराष्ट्रने कहा--संजय! लोग कहते हैं कि पाण्डव उपप्लव्य नामक स्थानमें आ गये हैं। तुम वहाँ जाकर उनका समाचार जानो। अजातशत्रु युधिष्ठिरसे आदरपूर्वक मिलकर कहना, सौभाग्यकी बात है कि आप सन्नद्ध होकर अपने योग्य स्थानपर आ पहुँचे हैं ।। सर्वान् वदे: संजय स्वस्तिमन्तः कृच्छूं वासमतदर्हान् निरुष्य । तेषां शान्तिर्विद्यते5स्मासु शीघ्र मिथ्यापेतानामुपकारिणां सताम्,संजय! सब पाण्डवोंसे कहना कि हमलोग सकुशल हैं। पाण्डवलोग मिथ्यासे दूर रहनेवाले, परोपकारी तथा साधु पुरुष हैं। वे वनवासका कष्ट भोगनेयोग्य नहीं थे, तो भी उन्होंने वनवासका नियम पूरा कर लिया है। इतनेपर भी हमारे ऊपर उनका क्रोध शीघ्र ही शान्त हो गया है स तु राजानमासाद्य कुन्तीपुत्रं युधिष्ठिरम् । अभिवाद्य तत: पूर्व सूतपुत्रो5भ्यभाषत वहाँ पहले कुन्तीपुत्र राजा युधिष्ठिरके पास जाकर सूतपुत्र संजयने उन्हें प्रणाम किया और उनसे बातचीत प्रारम्भ की
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca—sañjaya! śrūyate pāṇḍavā upaplavyaṃ nāma sthānam āgatāḥ. tvaṃ tatra gatvā teṣāṃ vṛttāntaṃ jānīhi. ajātaśatruṃ yudhiṣṭhiraṃ samāsādya satkṛtyaivam vada—‘bhadraṃ te; yathāyogyaṃ sthānaṃ sanniṣaṇṇaḥ (sannaddhaḥ) samprāptaḥ.’ sarvān vada, sañjaya, svastimantaḥ smaḥ. te mithyā-vivarjitāḥ paropakāriṇaḥ sādhavaś ca; vanavāsa-kleśam anarhā api niyamaṃ samāpya sthitāḥ. tathāpi asmāsu teṣāṃ krodhaḥ śīghraṃ praśāntaḥ. sa tu rājānam āsādya kuntīputraṃ yudhiṣṭhiram abhivādya tataḥ pūrvaṃ sūtaputro ’bhyabhāṣata.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “Sañjaya, people report that the Pāṇḍavas have arrived at a place called Upaplavya. Go there and learn their situation. Meet Ajātaśatru Yudhiṣṭhira with due respect and say: ‘Good fortune to you; it is fitting that you have come, prepared, to the place proper to you.’ Tell all the Pāṇḍavas, Sañjaya, that we are safe. They are men who keep far from falsehood, who work for others’ good, and who are truly virtuous. Though they did not deserve the hardship of exile, they fulfilled its rule completely; and even so, their anger toward us has quickly subsided.” Having reached King Yudhiṣṭhira, son of Kuntī, the charioteer’s son Sañjaya first paid his respects and then began to speak.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage highlights ethical ideals attributed to the Pandavas—truthfulness, altruism, and restraint—even after unjust suffering. It also shows how political speech frames virtue and calmness as grounds for negotiation, emphasizing that dharma includes self-control and respectful dialogue.
Dhritarashtra sends Sanjaya to Upaplavya to gather news and to convey a respectful message to Yudhishthira and the Pandavas, acknowledging their virtues and suggesting their anger has cooled. Sanjaya then reaches Yudhishthira, offers salutations, and begins his address.