Shloka 28
उलूकदूतवाक्यम् / Ulūka’s Message to the Pāṇḍavas
युध्यमानस्य मे वीर गन्धर्व: सुमहाबलै: । सहायो घोषयात्रायां कस्तदा55सीत् सखा मम,“वीरवर! कौरवोंकी घोषयात्राके समय जब मैंने महाबली गन्धर्वोके साथ युद्ध किया था, उस समय कौन-सा मित्र मेरी सहायताके लिये आया था?
yudhyamānasya me vīra gandharvaḥ sumahābalaiḥ | sahāyo ghoṣayātrāyāṃ kas tadā ’sīt sakhā mama ||
“ವೀರನೇ! ಕೌರವರ ಘೋಷಯಾತ್ರೆಯ ವೇಳೆ, ನಾನು ಅತ್ಯಂತ ಮಹಾಬಲ ಗಂಧರ್ವರೊಂದಿಗೆ ಯುದ್ಧ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾಗ, ಆಗ ನನ್ನ ನೆರವಿಗೆ ಯಾವ ಸ್ನೇಹಿತ ಬಂದನು?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds the ethical value of steadfast friendship: in moments of danger and humiliation, true allies reveal themselves through timely assistance, reinforcing ideals of loyalty and honor within the kṣatriya world.
The speaker recalls the episode of the Kauravas’ ghoṣa-yātrā, when a battle broke out with powerful Gandharvas, and asks which friend came to provide help during that fight.