Shloka 3
धृतराष्ट्रस्य क्रतु-प्रवर्तनम् तथा पाण्डवानां निमन्त्रण-प्रतिवचनम्
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Sacrifice Commences and the Pandavas’ Reply to the Invitation
शासतैनानधर्मज्ञान् मम विप्रियकारिण: । यदि प्रक्रीडते सर्वैर्देवे: सह शतक्रतुः
śāsatainān adharmajñān mama vipriyakāriṇaḥ | yadi prakrīḍate sarvair devaiḥ saha śatakratuḥ ||
彼は言った。「ダルマを知らず、我が意に背く者どもを罰せよ。たとえシャタクラトゥ（インドラ）が諸天とともにここへ来て戯れていようとも、彼らもまた我が不興を買う者として数えられる。ゆえに、この罪深き者どもを懲らしめよ。」
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse underscores a ruler’s duty to uphold dharma through discipline: wrongdoing must be punished, and status or divine association does not excuse adharma. Ethical accountability is presented as universal—no one is above the moral order.
Vaiśaṃpāyana reports a forceful command to punish certain offenders described as ignorant of dharma and harmful to the speaker’s interests. The statement is intensified by saying that even Indra and the gods, if they came merely to ‘play’ in this context, would still be treated as offenders—highlighting uncompromising resolve.