Shloka 106
अध्याय २९ — वासुदेव–संजय संवादः
Karma, Varṇa-Dharma, and the Ethics of Governance
श्लाघस्व मां कुशलिन सम तेभ्यो हानामयं तात पृच्छेर्जघन्यम् । तात! जो अअभ्रोत्रिय (शूद्र) वृद्ध पुरुष मनस्वी तथा शील और बलसे सम्पन्न हैं एवं हस्तिनापुरमें निवास करते हैं, जो यथाशक्ति कुछ धर्मका आचरण करते हुए हमलोगोंके प्रति शुभ कामना रखते हैं और बारंबार हमें याद करते हैं, उन सबसे हमलोगोंका कुशल- समाचार निवेदन करना। तत्पश्चात् उनके स्वास्थ्यका समाचार पूछना
ślāghasva māṁ kuśalina sama tebhyo hānāmayaṁ tāta pṛccher jaghanyam | tāta! ye ’śrotriyāḥ (śūdrāḥ) vṛddhāḥ puruṣā manasvinaḥ tathā śīla-bala-sampannāḥ hastināpure nivasanty, ye yathāśakti kiñcid dharmam ācarantaḥ asmāsu śubha-kāmanāṁ kurvanti punaḥ punaś ca asmān smaranti, tebhyaḥ sarvebhyo ’smākaṁ kuśala-vārttāṁ nivedaya | tataḥ paścāt teṣāṁ svāsthya-vārttāṁ pṛccha ||
Yudhiṣṭhira said: “Convey my respectful greetings to them, O fortunate one; and, dear friend, ask after their welfare and freedom from illness. In particular, those elderly men of steadfast mind—though not Vedic scholars and of the śūdra community—who are endowed with good conduct and strength, who dwell in Hastināpura, who practice whatever measure of dharma they can, who wish us well and remember us again and again: to all of them report our well-being. After that, inquire carefully about their health.”
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even amid political crisis, a leader’s dharma includes remembering and honoring ordinary well-wishers—especially elders—regardless of scholarly status or social rank, and actively inquiring into their welfare and health.
Yudhiṣṭhira instructs a messenger to convey the Pāṇḍavas’ well-being to supportive residents of Hastināpura—particularly elderly, high-minded śūdra men who practice dharma as they can—and then to ask after their health.