Shloka 4
Dvārakāyāṃ Sāhāyya-vibhāgaḥ (Alliance Allocation at Dvārakā) / उद्योगपर्व अध्याय ७
सर्वमागमयामास पाण्डवानां विचेष्टितम् । धृतराष्ट्रात्मजो राजा गूढै: प्रणिहितै श्चरै:
sarvam āgamayāmāsa pāṇḍavānāṁ viceṣṭitam | dhṛtarāṣṭrātmajo rājā gūḍhaiḥ praṇihitaiś caraiḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana said: King Duryodhana, the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, learned in full—through spies secretly planted by him—every move and undertaking of the Pāṇḍavas. The verse underscores how political ambition and fear can drive covert surveillance, setting an ethically fraught tone for the coming conflict.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension between statecraft and dharma: covert surveillance may be effective politically, but it also reflects mistrust and aggressive intent, contributing to escalation toward war.
Duryodhana, using secretly deployed spies, obtains complete intelligence about the Pāṇḍavas’ activities and plans, indicating active preparation and vigilance in the lead-up to negotiations and conflict.