Shloka 1
Duryodhana-vadha-pratikriyā: Harṣa, Nindā, and Kṛṣṇa’s Nīti-vyākhyā (Śalya-parva 60)
ऑपन-- मा बछ। अल षष्टितमो< ध्याय: क्रोधमें भरे हुए बलरामको श्रीकृष्णका समझाना और युधिष्ठिरके साथ श्रीकृष्णकी तथा भीमसेनकी बातचीत ध्तराष्ट्र रवाच अधर्मेण हतं दृष्टवा राजानं माधवोत्तम: । किमब्रवीत् तदा सूत बलदेवो महाबल:,धृतराष्ट्रने पूछा--सूत! उस समय राजा दुर्योधनको अधर्मपूर्वक मारा गया देख महाबली मधुकुलशिरोमणि बलदेवजीने क्या कहा था?
dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca | adharmeṇa hataṃ dṛṣṭvā rājānaṃ mādhavottamaḥ | kim abravīt tadā sūta baladevo mahābalaḥ ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra said: “O Sūta, when the mighty Baladeva—foremost among the Yādavas—saw the king (Duryodhana) slain by an unrighteous means, what did that great-armed hero say at that time?”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the Mahābhārata’s ethical lens: even in war, actions are judged against dharma. By highlighting that the king was slain 'adharmeṇa' (unrighteously), it sets up Baladeva’s moral response and the tension between victory and rightful conduct.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra questions Sañjaya about Baladeva’s words after Baladeva witnesses Duryodhana’s death, which is characterized as occurring through an unrighteous method—pointing to the controversial end of the mace duel.