Shloka 36
शल्यपर्व — चतुर्विंशोऽध्यायः | Śalya Parva, Chapter 24: Disruption of Kaurava Formations and the Elephant Encirclement
मौख्याद् येन पिता वृद्ध: प्रत्याख्यातो जनार्दन । तथा माता हित॑ वाक््यं भाषमाणा हितैषिणी
maukhyād yena pitā vṛddhaḥ pratyākhyāto janārdana | tathā mātā hitaṃ vākyaṃ bhāṣamāṇā hitaiṣiṇī ||
ಓ ಜನಾರ್ದನ! ಮೂರ್ಖತನದಿಂದ ಅವನು ತನ್ನ ವೃದ್ಧ ತಂದೆಯನ್ನು ತಿರಸ್ಕರಿಸಿದನು; ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ಹಿತವನ್ನು ಬಯಸುವ ತಾಯಿ ಹೇಳಿದ ಹಿತವಚನವನ್ನೂ ಒಪ್ಪಲಿಲ್ಲ.
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse condemns ‘maukhyā’—foolish obstinacy—that leads one to reject the rightful authority and benevolent guidance of parents. Ethically, it highlights dharma as reverence toward elders and receptivity to well-intended counsel, especially when it aims at one’s welfare.
Sañjaya addresses Kṛṣṇa (Janārdana) and characterizes a person’s misconduct: he spurned his aged father and also dismissed his mother’s beneficial advice, even though she spoke as a sincere well-wisher. The line functions as moral diagnosis of the person’s downfall—willful rejection of good counsel.