Shloka 7
Bhīmasena’s Counsel on Grief, Inner Conflict, and the Duty of Kingship (भीमसेन-उपदेशः)
एवं गते महाराज राज्यं प्रति जनाधिप । हेतुमत्र प्रवक्ष्यामि तमिहैकमना: शूणु
evaṃ gate mahārāja rājyaṃ prati janādhipa | hetum atra pravakṣyāmi tam ihai-kamanāḥ śṛṇu ||
वैशम्पायन बोले—“महाराज! जनाधिप! जब स्थिति ऐसी हो गई है, तो राज्य की ओर आपको आकृष्ट करने वाला जो एक कारण है, वही मैं कहूँगा। आप एकाग्रचित्त होकर यहाँ सुनिए।”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames kingship as a matter requiring clear reasoning and focused listening: before urging a ruler toward sovereignty, the speaker promises to state a definite motive (hetu), implying that political authority should be grounded in a justifiable ethical cause rather than impulse.
Vaiśampāyana addresses a king directly, noting that the situation has reached a decisive point and announcing that he will explain the specific reason for drawing the king toward the kingdom; he asks the king to listen with concentrated attention.