Shloka 23

विदुरस्य कृष्णं प्रति शमोपदेशः

Vidura’s Counsel to Krishna on the Limits of Peace

Devanagari script

वैशम्पायन उवाच एवमुक्तः: प्रत्युवाच धार्तराष्ट्रं जनार्दन: । अभिवीक्ष्य सहामात्यं दाशार्ह: प्रहसन्निव,वैशम्पायनजी कहते हैं--राजन! यह सुनकर दशार्हकुलभूषण जनार्दनने मन्त्रियोंसहित दुर्योधनकी ओर देखकर हँसते हुए-से उत्तर दिया

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: evam uktaḥ pratyuvāca dhārtarāṣṭraṃ janārdanaḥ | abhivīkṣya sahāmātyaṃ dāśārhaḥ prahasann iva ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana said: Thus addressed, Janārdana replied to the Dhārtarāṣṭra (Duryodhana). The Dāśārha (Kṛṣṇa), after looking at him together with his ministers, answered as though with a faint, knowing smile.

Word by Word

वैशम्पायनःVaiśampāyana

उवाचsaid

एवम्thus

उक्तःhaving been addressed / spoken to

प्रत्युवाचreplied

धार्तराष्ट्रम्the Dhārtarāṣṭra (Duryodhana / son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra)

जनार्दनःJanārdana (Kṛṣṇa)

अभिवीक्ष्यhaving looked at

सहtogether with

अमात्यम्the minister/counsellor

दाशार्हःthe Dāśārha (Kṛṣṇa, of the Dāśārha line)

प्रहसन्smiling / laughing

इवas if

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Janārdana (Kṛṣṇa)

Dhārtarāṣṭra (Duryodhana)

Amātyas (ministers/counsellors)

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?

The verse highlights the ethical contrast between wise, measured counsel and stubborn, minister-backed arrogance. Kṛṣṇa’s restrained smile suggests discernment: when adharma is entrenched and reinforced by advisers, truth may be spoken with calm clarity rather than anger.

What is happening in the narrative?

After being addressed (in the preceding context), Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana) turns to Duryodhana (the Dhārtarāṣṭra), looks at him along with his ministers, and begins his reply—marked by an almost ironic smile that anticipates the futility of corrupt counsel.