Shloka 12
उद्योगपर्व — विदुरोक्तिः
Dhṛtarāṣṭra Addressed on Sincerity, Hospitality, and Settlement
मेरे पास यह एक अत्यन्त तेजस्वी निर्मल मणि है, जो दिन तथा रातमें भी प्रकाशित होती है, इसे भी मैं श्रीकृष्णको ही दूँगा; क्योंकि वे ही इसके योग्य हैं ।।
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | mama pāśe eko 'tyanta-tejasvī nirmalo maṇir asti, yaḥ divāniśam api prakāśate; tam api śrīkṛṣṇāyaiva dāsyāmi, yataḥ sa eva tasya yogyaḥ || ekenābhipataty ahlā yojanāni caturdaśa | yānam aścatārī-yuktaṃ dāsye tasmai tad apy aham ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra dit : «Je possède un joyau d’un éclat suprême, pur et sans tache, qui resplendit de jour comme de nuit. Je le donnerai, lui aussi, à Śrī Kṛṣṇa seul, car lui seul en est digne. J’ai encore un char attelé de mules, capable de parcourir quatorze yojanas en un seul jour ; ce char aussi, je le lui offrirai».
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the idea of yogyatā (worthiness): truly valuable offerings should be directed to one who can rightly receive them. At the same time, it implicitly contrasts external honor (gifts) with the deeper ethical demand of dharma—right action and just decisions cannot be replaced by material generosity.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war diplomacy, Dhṛtarāṣṭra speaks of presenting Kṛṣṇa with prestigious gifts—a luminous jewel and a swift mule-yoked chariot—signaling respect and an attempt at conciliation or appeasement as tensions between the Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas escalate.