Shloka 17
उद्योगपर्व — अध्याय १३५: कुन्त्याः कृष्णं प्रति संदेशः
Kuntī’s Message to Kṛṣṇa
इदमुद्धर्षणं भीम॑ तेजोवर्धनमुत्तमम् । राजानं श्रावयेन्मन्त्री सीदन्तं शत्रुपीडितम्,यह उत्तम उपाख्यान वीरोंके लिये अत्यन्त उत्साह-वर्धक और कायरोंके लिये भयंकर है। यदि कोई राजा शत्रुसे पीड़ित होकर दुःखी एवं हताश हो रहा हो तो मन्त्रीको चाहिये कि उसे यह प्रसंग सुनाये
idam uddharṣaṇaṃ bhīma tejo-vardhanam uttamam | rājānaṃ śrāvayen mantrī sīdantaṃ śatru-pīḍitam ||
«Esto es una poderosa exhortación, oh Bhīma: un relato excelente que acrecienta el valor. Un ministro debe recitarlo a un rey que se hunde en la desesperación, oprimido por los enemigos.»
पुत्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
A minister’s dharma is to steady a ruler’s mind in crisis: when a king is overwhelmed by enemy pressure and despair, the counselor should revive his courage by recounting inspiring exempla that strengthen resolve and restore effective, righteous leadership.
The speaker addresses Bhīma and characterizes a particular “excellent, valor-increasing” account as a tool of statecraft. The verse instructs that this episode should be recited to a despondent king suffering under enemy oppression, so that he regains spirit and readiness to act.