Shloka 20
धृतराष्ट्र-संजय संवादः — उपप्लव्यगमनाज्ञा
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Saṃjaya Dialogue: Command to Proceed to Upaplavya
अवरुद्धा रथिन: केकये भ्यो महेष्वासा भ्रातर: पञठ्च सन्ति । केकयेभ्यो राज्यमाकाड्क्षमाणा युद्धार्थिनश्वानुवसन्ति पार्थान्,केकयदेशसे बाहर निकाले हुए पाँच भाई केकयराजकुमार महान् धनुर्थधर एवं रथी वीर हैं। वे पाण्डवोंके सहयोगसे केकयदेशके राजाओंसे पुनः अपना राज्य लेना चाहते हैं, इसलिये उनकी ओरसे युद्ध करनेकी इच्छा रखकर उन्हींके साथ रह रहे हैं कच्चिद् राज्ये धृतराष्ट्रं सपुत्रं समेत्याहु: कुरव: सर्व एव | कच्चिद् दृष्टवा दस्युसड्घान् समेतान् स्मरन्ति पार्थस्य युधां प्रणेतु: क्या कभी सब कौरव एकत्र हो पुत्रसहित धृतराष्ट्रके पास जाकर हमें राज्य देनेके विषयमें कुछ कहते हैं? कया राज्यमें लुटेरोंके दलोंको देखकर वे कभी संग्रामविजयी अर्जुनको भी याद करते हैं?
vaiśampāyana uvāca |
avaruddhā rathinaḥ kekayebhyo maheṣvāsā bhrātaraḥ pañca santi |
kekayebhyo rājyam ākāṅkṣamāṇā yuddhārthinaś cānuvāsanti pārthān ||
kaccid rājye dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ saputraṃ sametyāhuḥ kuravaḥ sarva eva |
kaccid dṛṣṭvā dasyu-saṅghān sametān smaranti pārthasya yudhāṃ praṇetuḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: “There are five brothers—great archers and chariot-warriors—who have been driven out by the Kekayas. Longing to regain their kingdom from the Kekaya rulers, they stay with the Pāṇḍavas, intent on fighting on their side. Do all the Kurus ever assemble and approach Dhṛtarāṣṭra together with his sons to speak of restoring the kingdom (to the rightful claimants)? And when they see bands of robbers gathered in the realm, do they ever remember Arjuna, the Pārtha who leads men in battle?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler’s duty is to uphold order and justice: legitimate claims should be addressed through responsible counsel, and public safety must be protected. Forgetting capable protectors and ignoring disorder (robber bands) signals ethical and political failure.
Vaiśampāyana notes that five exiled Kekaya brothers—renowned archers—have joined the Pāṇḍavas to fight and recover their lost kingdom. He then poses pointed questions about whether the Kurus collectively advise Dhṛtarāṣṭra to restore rightful rule and whether, seeing lawlessness, they remember Arjuna’s proven leadership in war.