Shloka 19
Kṛṣṇa at Duryodhana’s House: Refusal of Hospitality and Departure to Vidura (कृष्णस्य धार्तराष्ट्रनिवेशनगमनम्)
भरतस्य दिलीपस्य शिबेरौशीनरस्य च । राजर्षीणां पुराणानां धुरं धत्ते दुरुद्वञग्यामू
bharatasya dilīpasya śiber auśīnarasya ca | rājarṣīṇāṃ purāṇānāṃ dhuraṃ dhatte durudvahām ||
वे भरत, दिलीप और उशीनरपुत्र शिबि आदि प्राचीन राजर्षियों की— दुरूह और दुर्वह— धर्म-धुरी को धारण करते हैं।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
True kingship is measured by the capacity to uphold the difficult ‘yoke’ of dharma—maintaining the ancient standards of righteous conduct exemplified by legendary rājarṣis like Bharata, Dilīpa, and Śibi.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war diplomacy, the speaker invokes revered ancestral models of righteous rule to characterize (and implicitly praise) the ideal king who bears the heavy responsibility of dharma.