Shloka 231
धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनप्रस्थानानुज्ञा | Permission for Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Forest-Retirement
युधिष्ठिरगते राज्ये प्राप्तश्चास्मि सुखं महत् । मन्ये दुर्योधनैश्वर्याद् विशिष्टमिति सत्तमा:
yudhiṣṭhiragate rājye prāptaś cāsmi sukhaṃ mahat | manye duryodhanaiśvaryād viśiṣṭam iti sattamaḥ ||
ವೈಶಂಪಾಯನನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಯುಧಿಷ್ಠಿರನಿಗೆ ರಾಜ್ಯ ಬಂದ ಬಳಿಕ ನನಗೂ ಮಹಾಸೌಖ್ಯ ದೊರಕಿತು. ಓ ಸತ್ಪುರುಷಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ, ಇದನ್ನು ದುರ್ಯೋಧನನ ಹಿಂದಿನ ಐಶ್ವರ್ಯಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠವೆಂದು ನಾನು ಮನಗಾಣುತ್ತೇನೆ।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse contrasts two models of sovereignty: rule grounded in dharma (Yudhiṣṭhira) versus rule driven by unjust ambition (Duryodhana). It implies that the moral quality of governance directly affects collective well-being, making righteous kingship ‘superior’ not merely politically but ethically.
In Vaiśampāyana’s narration, a speaker expresses relief and happiness that the kingdom is now under Yudhiṣṭhira’s authority, judging this situation better than the earlier period when Duryodhana held power.