Shloka 15
स्वर्गारोहणपर्व — तृतीयोऽध्यायः
Indra and Dharma’s Consolation; Celestial Gaṅgā Purification
तेन त्वमेवं गमितो मया श्रेयोडर्थिना नूप । व्याजेन हि त्वया द्रोण उपचीर्ण: सुतं प्रति
tena tvam evaṁ gamito mayā śreyorthinā nūpa | vyājena hi tvayā droṇa upacīrṇaḥ sutaṁ prati ||
Therefore I, seeking what was truly best, led you along in this way, O king. For it was under a pretext that Droṇa was induced by you to act with special regard toward his son—an ethically fraught maneuver that frames the episode as a calculated means to an end rather than a straightforward act of righteousness.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the tension between seeking the ‘highest good’ (śreyas) and employing morally ambiguous means (vyāja). It invites reflection on whether outcomes can justify deception, especially in contexts of power, duty, and conflict.
Vaiśampāyana explains to a king that he guided him deliberately, claiming it was for the king’s ultimate good. He notes that Droṇa was maneuvered ‘under a pretext’ into acting with special concern toward his son, indicating a strategic manipulation of Droṇa’s paternal attachment.