Shloka 8
Droṇa–Vidura–Gāndhārī Counsel in the Royal Assembly (धर्मार्थयुक्ता सभा-उपदेश-प्रकरणम्)
आचार्यो वा महाभाग भारद्वाज: किमब्रवीत् । पिता वा धृतराष्ट्रस्तं गान्धारी वा किमब्रवीत्,महाभाग! भरद्वाजनन्दन आचार्य द्रोणने उस समय क्या कहा? पिता धृतराष्ट्र और माता गान्धारीने भी दुर्योधनसे उस समय क्या बात कही?
ācāryo vā mahābhāga bhāradvājaḥ kim abravīt | pitā vā dhṛtarāṣṭras taṃ gāndhārī vā kim abravīt, mahābhāga |
Yudhiṣṭhira berkata: “Wahai yang mulia, apakah yang dikatakan oleh guru agung, putra Bhāradvāja (Droṇa), pada saat itu? Dan apakah yang dikatakan ayahnya, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, atau ibunya, Gāndhārī, kepadanya? Ceritakanlah, wahai yang berhati luhur.”
युधिष्टिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds ethical accountability before war: Yudhiṣṭhira seeks to know what counsel was offered by elders and authorities (teacher, father, mother). It implies that decisions leading to conflict should be weighed against wise guidance and familial-dharmic responsibility.
In the Udyoga Parva’s lead-up to the Kurukṣetra war, Yudhiṣṭhira asks what Droṇa, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and Gāndhārī said to the concerned party (contextually, Duryodhana), requesting a report of their words and advice at that critical moment.