Shloka 17
Kṛṣṇa at Duryodhana’s House: Refusal of Hospitality and Departure to Vidura (कृष्णस्य धार्तराष्ट्रनिवेशनगमनम्)
महावनेष्वबोध्यन्त श्वापदानां रुतेन च | “मधुसूदन! जो भेरी एवं मृदंगके नादसे, शंख एवं वेणुकी ध्वनिसे तथा स्त्रियोंके गीतोंके मधुर शब्द तथा सूत, मागध एवं वन्दीजनोंद्वारा की हुई स्तुति सुनकर जागते थे, वे ही बड़े-बड़े जंगलोंमें हिंसक जन्तुओंके कठोर शब्द सुनकर किस प्रकार नींद तोड़ते रहे होंगे? ।। ह्वीमान् सत्यधृतिर्दान्तो भूतानामनुकम्पिता,“श्रीकृष्ण! जो लज्जाशील, सत्यको धारण करनेवाले, जितेन्द्रिय तथा सब प्राणियोंपर दया करनेवाले हैं; जो काम (राग) एवं द्वेषको वशमें करके सत्पुरुषोंके मार्गकका अनुसरण करते हैं; जो अम्बरीष, मान्धाता, ययाति, नहुष, भरत, दिलीप एवं उशीनरपुत्र शिबि आदि प्राचीन राजर्षियोंके सदाचारपालनरूप धारण करनेमें कठिन धर्मकी धुरीको धारण करते हैं; जिनमें शील और सदाचारकी सम्पत्ति भरी हुई है, जो धर्मज्ञ, सत्यप्रतिज्ञ और सर्वगुणसम्पन्न होनेके कारण इस भूमण्डलके ही नहीं, तीनों लोकोंके भी राजा हो सकते हैं; जिनका मन सदा धर्ममें ही लगा रहता है, जो धर्मशास्त्रज्ञान और सदाचार सभी दृष्टियोंसे समस्त कौरवोंमें सबसे श्रेष्ठ हैं; जिनकी अंगकान्ति शुद्ध जाम्बूनद सुवर्णके समान गौर है, जो देखनेमें सभीको प्रिय लगते हैं; वे महाबाहु अजातशत्रु युधिष्ठिर इस समय कैसे हैं?
vaiśampāyana uvāca | mahāvaneṣv abodhyanta śvāpadānāṃ rutena ca | “madhusūdana! ye bherī-mṛdaṅgaka-nādena śaṅkha-veṇukī-dhvaninā tathā strīṇāṃ gīta-madhura-śabdaiḥ sūta-māgadha-vandijanaiś ca kṛtāṃ stutiṃ śrutvā jāgrati sma, te eva mahā-vaneṣu hiṃsra-jantūnāṃ kaṭhora-śabdān śrutvā kathaṃ nidrāṃ vyucchedayiṣyanta? || hrīmān satyadhṛtir dānto bhūtānām anukampitaḥ | śrīkṛṣṇa! yaḥ kāma-dveṣau vaśīkṛtya satpuruṣa-mārgaṃ anusarati | yo ’mbarīṣa-māndhātṛ-yayāti-nahuṣa-bharata-dilīpa-uśīnaraputra-śibi-prabhṛtīnāṃ prācīna-rājarṣīṇāṃ sadācāra-pālanarūpaṃ durdharaṃ dharma-dhuram dhārayati | yasmin śīla-sadācāra-sampad pūrṇā | yo dharmajñaḥ satyapratijñaḥ sarvaguṇa-sampannaś ca, bhūmaṇḍalasya na kevalaṃ trayāṇām api lokānāṃ rājā bhavet | yasya manaḥ sadā dharme niviṣṭam | dharmaśāstra-jñāna-sadācāra-dṛṣṭyā sarveṣāṃ kauravāṇāṃ śreṣṭhaḥ | yasya aṅga-kāntiḥ śuddha-jāmbūnada-suvarṇa-samā gaurī, yaḥ sarveṣāṃ priyadarśanaḥ | sa mahābāhur ajātaśatrur yudhiṣṭhiraḥ idānīṃ kathaṃ vartate?”
Vaiśampāyana said: In the great forests they were awakened by the cries of wild beasts. “Madhusūdana, those who used to rise at the sound of kettledrums and mṛdaṅgas, at the resonance of conches and flutes, at the sweet songs of women, and at the praises sung by sūtas, māgadhas, and bards—how must they now be breaking their sleep in vast woods, hearing instead the harsh calls of fierce animals? O Śrī Kṛṣṇa, how is Yudhiṣṭhira now—he who is modest, steadfast in truth, self-controlled, and compassionate to all beings; who has mastered desire and hatred and follows the path of the good; who bears the difficult yoke of dharma by maintaining the noble conduct of ancient royal seers such as Ambarīṣa, Māndhātṛ, Yayāti, Nahuṣa, Bharata, Dilīpa, and Śibi the son of Uśīnara; in whom character and good conduct are abundant; who is a knower of dharma, true to his vows, and complete in virtues—fit to rule not only the earth but the three worlds; whose mind is ever set on righteousness; who is foremost among the Kauravas in knowledge of dharmaśāstra and in exemplary conduct; whose bodily radiance is fair like pure Jāmbūnada gold and whose appearance is pleasing to all—how fares that mighty-armed, enemyless Yudhiṣṭhira at this time?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The passage presents the ethical ideal of kingship: a ruler should be grounded in truth, modesty, self-restraint, compassion for all beings, and mastery over desire and hatred, sustaining the demanding ‘yoke of dharma’ by following the exemplary conduct of ancient royal sages.
The speaker contrasts former royal comfort—waking to auspicious music and praise—with the present hardship of forest life, then asks Kṛṣṇa about Yudhiṣṭhira’s condition, praising him as the foremost among the Kauravas in dharma, vows, and virtue.