Shloka 59
Ulūka’s Provocation and Keśava’s Counter-Message (उलूकदूत्ये केशवप्रत्युत्तरम्)
घातयित्वा प्रदास्यामि पार्थेभ्यो राज्यमुत्तमम् । आचचतक्षे च मे सर्व संजयस्तव भाषितम्
ghātayitvā pradāsyāmi pārthebhyo rājyam uttamam | ācacakṣe ca me sarvaṃ saṃjayas tava bhāṣitam ||
“Setelah membuat mereka terbunuh, akan kuberikan kerajaan yang mulia itu kepada putra-putra Pṛthā.” Wahai Raja, seluruh ucapanmu itu telah dilaporkan kepadaku oleh Sañjaya tanpa kurang suatu apa pun.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the ethical tension between political ends and violent means: claiming to ‘give the kingdom’ after arranging slaughter exposes how power can be rationalized through adharma, while truthful reporting (Sanjaya’s narration) preserves accountability by keeping words and intentions on record.
Sanjaya reports to the king that he has heard and is conveying a prior declaration: the speaker vowed to have opponents killed and then hand over the ‘excellent kingdom’ to the Pāṇḍavas. The line functions as a recollection of a hard, war-oriented resolve and as testimony transmitted through Sanjaya.