Mahabharata — Virata Parva, Shloka 7
अध्याय ५०: उत्तरेण सह अर्जुनस्य रथप्रयाणे ध्वजचिह्नैः कौरवसेनानिर्देशः
Arjuna directs Uttara by identifying Kaurava commanders through banners
वर्तमाना यथाशास्त्र प्राप्प चापि महीमिमाम् । सत्कुर्वन्ति महाभागा गुरून् सुविगुणानपि
vartamānā yathāśāstraṁ prāpya cāpi mahīm imām | satkurvanti mahābhāgā gurūn suviguṇān api ||
ಕೃಪನು ಹೇಳಿದನು—ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರವಿಧಿಯಂತೆ ನಡೆಯುವ ಮಹಾಭಾಗ್ಯಶಾಲಿ, ಸೌಭಾಗ್ಯವಂತ ಪುರುಷರು ನ್ಯಾಯಮಾರ್ಗದಿಂದ ಈ ಭೂಮಿಯ ರಾಜ್ಯವನ್ನು ಪಡೆದರೂ, ಗುಣಹೀನ ಗುರುಗಳನ್ನೂ ಗೌರವಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಆದರೆ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಅನ್ಯಾಯದಿಂದ ಪಡೆದ ರಾಜ್ಯದ ಕಾರಣ ಗುಣವಂತ ಹಿರಿಯ ಗುರುಗಳಿಗೂ ಅವಮಾನವಾಗುತ್ತಿದೆ.
कृप उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when one gains power legitimately, dharma requires humility and reverence toward teachers and elders; true nobility is shown by honoring gurus regardless of their personal shortcomings, whereas unjustly gained rule tends to erode respect even for the deserving.
Kṛpa is criticizing a moral inversion: in ideal conduct, righteous rulers honor their gurus; but in the present situation he laments that an unjust acquisition of authority has resulted in disrespect toward worthy elders, signaling a decline in dharma.
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