Shloka 17
अध्याय ८७: कृष्णस्य हस्तिनापुरप्रवेशः
Krishna’s Entry into Hastināpura and Court Reception
ततो दुर्योधनमिदं धृतराष्ट्रोडब्रवीद् वच: । मैवं वोच: प्रजापाल नैष धर्म: सनातन:,तदनन्तर धृतराष्ट्रने दुर्योधनसे कहा--'प्रजापालक दुर्योधन! तुम ऐसी बात मुँहसे न निकालो। यह सनातन धर्म नहीं है
tato duryodhanam idaṃ dhṛtarāṣṭro 'bravīd vacaḥ | mā evaṃ vocaḥ prajā-pāla naiṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ ||
Then Dhṛtarāṣṭra addressed Duryodhana with these words: “O protector of the people, do not speak in this way. This is not the eternal (sanātana) dharma.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
A ruler must restrain speech and intention by the standard of sanātana-dharma: not every impulse or policy is legitimate merely because it serves power; conduct must align with enduring moral law and the responsibilities of kingship.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war deliberations, Dhṛtarāṣṭra responds to Duryodhana’s stance or utterance and admonishes him not to speak so, explicitly judging it contrary to the eternal dharma expected of a prajā-pāla (guardian of the people).