Shloka 4
Virāṭa-sabhāyāṃ Saṃniveśaḥ — Assembly at Virāṭa’s Hall and Kṛṣṇa’s Diplomatic Counsel
पाञज्चालराजस्य समीपततस्तु शिनिप्रवीर: सहरौहिणेय: । मत्स्यस्य राज्ञस्तु सुसंनिकृष्टो जनार्दनश्वैव युधिष्ठिरश्ष
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: Pāñcālarājasya samīpatas tu Śinipravīraḥ saharauhiṇeyaḥ | Matsyasya rājñas tu susaṃnikṛṣṭo Janārdanaś caiva Yudhiṣṭhiraś ca ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana dit : Près du roi des Pāñcālas s’assit Sātyaki, le plus éminent héros de la lignée des Śini, avec Rauhiṇeya (Balarāma). Tout près du roi des Matsya s’assirent Janārdana (Kṛṣṇa) et Yudhiṣṭhira. Le vers dessine discrètement les alliances et l’enjeu moral : les justes Pāṇḍava y apparaissent soutenus par d’illustres chefs yādava, signe à la fois de solidarité politique et du poids éthique qui s’amasse autour du conflit à venir.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores dharmic alignment through proximity and association: eminent allies (Sātyaki, Balarāma, Kṛṣṇa) are shown standing close to the Pāṇḍava side and their supporters, suggesting that moral authority and political support converge as the war approaches.
A seating/positioning description is given: Sātyaki and Balarāma sit near Drupada (king of Pāñcāla), while Kṛṣṇa and Yudhiṣṭhira sit very near Virāṭa (king of Matsya), indicating the arrangement of key figures and alliances in the assembly context of Udyoga Parva.