Shloka 161
अनुक्रमणिकाध्यायः (Anukramaṇikā Adhyāya) — Invocation, Narrator Frame, and Textual Scope
यदाओ्रौष॑ स्नातकानां सहस्रै- रन्वागतं धर्मराजं वनस्थम् | भिक्षाभुजां ब्राह्मणानां महात्मनां तदा नाशंसे विजयाय संजय,जब मैंने सुना कि हजारों स्नातक वनवासी युधिष्ठिरके साथ रह रहे हैं और वे तथा दूसरे महात्मा एवं ब्राह्मण उनसे भिक्षा प्राप्त करते हैं। संजय! तभी मैं विजयके सम्बन्धमें निराश हो गया
yadāśrauṣaṁ snātakānāṁ sahasrair anvāgataṁ dharmarājaṁ vanastham | bhikṣābhujāṁ brāhmaṇānāṁ mahātmanāṁ tadā nāśaṁse vijayāya sañjaya ||
When I heard that Dharmarāja Yudhiṣṭhira, living in the forest, was attended by thousands of snātakas, and that great-souled brāhmaṇas lived on alms received from him, then, Sañjaya, I lost hope of victory. The report revealed a king whose dharma and generosity continued even in exile—an ethical strength that foretells moral and ultimately strategic advantage.
Educational Q&A
Even in hardship, steadfast dharma—expressed through restraint, learning, and generosity—creates moral authority. Such righteousness is portrayed as a force that undermines the opponent’s confidence and becomes a sign of eventual victory.
The speaker reports hearing that Yudhiṣṭhira, though living in the forest, is still surrounded by thousands of learned snātakas and supports great brāhmaṇas who live on alms. This continuing capacity to uphold social and religious duties in exile makes the speaker despair of victory against him.