Shloka 16
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Duryodhana Saṃvāda on Restraint and Rājānīti
Chapter 50
नित्यमाज्ञापयन् भासि दिवि देवेश्वरो यथा । तस्य ते विदितप्रज्ञ शोकमूलमिदं कथम् | समुत्थितं दुःखकरं यन्मे शंसितुमरहसि
nityam ājñāpayann bhāsi divi deveśvaro yathā | tasya te viditaprajña śokamūlam idaṃ katham | samutthitaṃ duḥkhakaraṃ yan me śaṃsitum arhasi ||
वैशम्पायन बोले—स्वर्ग में देवराज इन्द्र की भाँति तुम इस लोक में सदा आज्ञा देते हुए शोभा पाते हो। तुम्हारी प्रज्ञा सर्वविदित है। फिर यह शोक-मूल, दुःखदायी चिन्ता तुम्हारे भीतर कैसे उठ खड़ी हुई? जो तुम मुझे बताने योग्य हो, वह मुझे कहो।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even those who appear powerful and authoritative may be inwardly troubled; the verse frames ethical inquiry as the proper response—asking for the root-cause of sorrow rather than judging appearances.
Vaiśaṃpāyana describes a ruler-like figure who shines while commanding others, likened to Indra, and then asks how such a renowned wise person has come to be afflicted by a grief-born, distressing anxiety, requesting an explanation.