Shloka 9
कुन्ती-युधिष्ठिर-संवादः — Kuntī’s Counsel on Departing for Pāñcāla
समास्ते चैव मे सर्वे यूयं चैव न संशय: । दीनतो बालतश्रैव स्नेहं कुर्वन्ति मानवा: । तस्मादभ्यधिक: स्नेहो युष्मासु मम साम्प्रतम्,इसमें संदेह नहीं कि मेरे लिये तुमलोग और धुतराष्ट्रके पुत्र दुर्योधन आदि सब समान ही हैं। फिर भी जहाँ दीनता और बचपन है, वहीं मनुष्य अधिक स्नेह करते हैं; इसी कारण इस समय तुमलोगोंपर मेरा अधिक स्नेह है
samāste caiva me sarve yūyaṃ caiva na saṃśayaḥ | dīnatā bālatā caiva snehaṃ kurvanti mānavāḥ | tasmād abhyadhikaḥ sneho yuṣmāsu mama sāmpratam |
Vyāsa said: “Without doubt, to me you all are the same—just as Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons, Duryodhana and the rest, are the same. Yet people naturally show greater tenderness where there is helplessness and childhood. Therefore, at this moment my affection is stronger toward you.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when one strives for equal regard toward all, human affection tends to intensify toward those who are vulnerable—especially the helpless and the young. The verse highlights compassion as a natural ethical impulse that can coexist with a commitment to fairness.
Vyāsa addresses a group (the ‘you’ in the verse), stating that he considers them equal to Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s sons such as Duryodhana, yet he presently feels greater tenderness toward them because they are in a condition of weakness or youth.