Shloka 4
Śālva–Pradyumna Yuddha: Sārathya-kauśala, Astra-pratikāra, Daiva-niyati
Chapter 20
अस्वस्थनरनारीकमिदं वृष्णिकुलं भृशम् । किमिदं नरशार्दटूल श्रोतुमिच्छामि तत्त्वतः,“नरश्रेष्ठ) इस वृष्णिवंशके प्राय: सभी स्त्री-पुरुष अस्वस्थ दिखायी देते हैं, इसका क्या कारण है? यह मैं ठीक-ठीक सुनना चाहता हूँ
asvastha-nara-nārīkam idaṁ vṛṣṇi-kulaṁ bhṛśam | kim idaṁ nara-śārdūla śrotum icchāmi tattvataḥ ||
Kaum Vṛṣṇi ini tampak sangat gelisah; laki-laki dan perempuannya sama-sama terlihat sakit dan terguncang. Wahai harimau di antara manusia, apa sebabnya? Aku ingin mendengar kebenarannya dengan tepat.
वासुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse models responsible leadership and ethical inquiry: when a community shows signs of distress, one should not ignore it or speculate loosely, but seek the real cause (tattvataḥ) through careful questioning, aiming at the welfare of all.
Vāsudeva observes that the Vṛṣṇi people—both men and women—appear seriously unsettled or unwell. He addresses a heroic interlocutor (“nara-śārdūla”) and asks for a truthful explanation of the cause behind this troubling condition.