Shloka 6

Daitya-āśvāsana of Duryodhana; Karṇa’s assurance and the mobilization of the Kaurava host

Devanagari script

धृतराष्ट उवाच मृगया शोभना तात गवां हि समवेक्षणम्‌ । विश्रम्भस्तु न गन्तव्यो बल्‍लवानामिति स्मरे,धृतराष्ट्र बोले--तात! हिंसक पशुओंका शिकार खेलनेका प्रस्ताव सुन्दर है। गौओंकी देख-भालका काम भी अच्छा ही है; परंतु ग्वालोंकी बातोंपर विश्वास नहीं करना चाहिये, यह नीतिका वचन है, जिसका मुझे स्मरण हो आया है

Transliteration

dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | mṛgayā śobhanā tāta gavāṃ hi samavekṣaṇam | viśrambhas tu na gantavyo ballavānām iti smare |

Translation

Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “Dear son, the proposal of hunting is indeed attractive, and the task of overseeing the cattle is also commendable. Yet I recall a maxim of statecraft: one should not place trust in cowherds.”

Word by Word

• {'dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca': 'Dhṛtarāṣṭra said', 'mṛgayā': 'hunting

• the chase', 'śobhanā': 'beautiful

• commendable', 'tāta': 'dear son

• a term of address', 'gavām': 'of cows

• of cattle', 'samavekṣaṇam': 'watching over

• inspection', 'viśrambhaḥ': 'trust

• reliance', 'na gantavyaḥ': 'should not be placed/extended (lit. ‘not to be gone to’)', 'ballavānām': 'of cowherds

• herdsmen', 'iti': 'thus

• so (quotative)', 'smare': 'I remember

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Dhṛtarāṣṭra
• cattle (cows)
• cowherds (ballava)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Even when an activity appears appealing or useful, one should apply prudence in whom one trusts; Dhṛtarāṣṭra recalls a nīti-saying warning against uncritical reliance on certain agents (here, cowherds).

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra responds to a suggestion involving hunting and cattle-related oversight, approving the activities in principle but adding a cautionary reminder drawn from remembered political-ethical counsel.