Shloka 6
Vyāsa’s Counsel to Dhṛtarāṣṭra on Restraining Duryodhana (व्यास-धृतराष्ट्र-उपदेशः)
अत्र ते कीर्तयिष्यामि महदाख्यानमुत्तमम् । सुरभ्याश्चैव संवादमिन्द्रस्य च विशाम्पते,जनेश्वर! इस विषयमें मैं तुम्हें एक परम उत्तम इतिहास सुनाता हूँ; जो सुरभि तथा इन्द्रके संवादके रूपमें है
atra te kīrtayiṣyāmi mahadākhyānam uttamam | surabhyāś caiva saṃvādam indrasya ca viśāṃpate janeśvara |
Vyāsa said: “Here I shall recount to you a great and excellent ancient narrative—namely, the dialogue between Surabhī and Indra, O lord of the people, O ruler of men. Through this account, the ethical weight of compassion and responsibility toward living beings will be made clear.”
व्यास उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames an exemplary narrative as a moral instrument: a ‘great and excellent’ account is introduced to illuminate dharma through dialogue—especially the ruler’s duty to heed ethical counsel and uphold compassion and responsibility toward beings under his protection.
Vyāsa announces that he will now tell a celebrated story in the form of a conversation between Surabhī and Indra, addressing a human ruler with honorifics, thereby setting up a didactic episode where divine figures discuss a matter of moral and social importance.