Shloka 18

उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय ५ (कृष्णनीति: न्यायशम-उपदेशः; विराट-द्रुपदयोः सैन्यसमाह्वानम्)

Devanagari script

ततः प्रज्ञावयोवृद्धं पाउ्चाल्य: स्वपुरोहितम्‌ | कुरुभ्य: प्रेषयामास युधिषछिरमते स्थित:,तदनन्तर पांचालनरेशने युधिष्ठिरकी सम्मतिके अनुसार बुद्धि और अवस्थामें भी बढ़े- चढ़े अपने पुरोहितको कौरवोंके पास भेजा

Transliteration

tataḥ prajñā-vayo-vṛddhaṃ pāñcālyaḥ sva-purohitam | kurubhyaḥ preṣayāmāsa yudhiṣṭhira-mate sthitaḥ ||

Translation

Then the king of the Pāñcālas, acting in accordance with Yudhiṣṭhira’s counsel, dispatched his own family priest—one advanced in wisdom and in years—to the Kuru court. The mission underscores a dharmic preference for counsel, negotiation, and restrained speech before any irrevocable step toward conflict.

Word by Word

ततःthereafter

प्रज्ञा-वयः-वृद्धम्advanced in wisdom and age

पाञ्चाल्यःthe Pāñcāla king (Drupada)

स्व-पुरोहितम्his own family-priest

कुरुभ्यःto the Kurus

प्रेषयामासsent

युधिष्ठिर-मतेin accordance with Yudhiṣṭhira's opinion

स्थितःbeing situated/abiding (i.e., acting in accordance)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Pāñcālya (Drupada)

Purohita (royal priest of Pāñcāla)

Kurus

Yudhiṣṭhira

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Cross References

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Before resorting to force, dharma favors measured counsel and diplomatic outreach through qualified, self-controlled elders whose speech can preserve peace and propriety.

What is happening in the narrative?

Drupada (the Pāñcāla king), following Yudhiṣṭhira’s advice, sends his venerable royal priest as an envoy to the Kuru side, initiating a formal communication aimed at negotiation in the tense lead-up to war.