Shloka 16
अध्याय १: महाप्रस्थानारम्भः
The Commencement of the Great Departure
सर्वमाचष्ट राजर्षिश्षिकीर्षितमथात्मन: । इसके बाद समस्त प्रकृतियों (प्रजा-मन्त्री आदि)-को बुलाकर राजर्षि युधिष्ठिरने, वे जो कुछ करना चाहते थे अपना वह सारा विचार उनसे कह सुनाया ।।
sarvam ācakṣṭa rājarṣiḥ śikīrṣitam athātmanaḥ | te śrutvaiva vacas tasya paurajānapadā janāḥ ||
ໄວສັມປາຍະນະ ກ່າວວ່າ: ແລ້ວ ຣາຊະຣິສີ ຢຸທິສຖິຣະ ໄດ້ແຈ້ງຢ່າງຄົບຖ້ວນແກ່ຜູ້ທີ່ຖືກເອີ້ນມາຊຸມ—ທັງມະນະຕຣີ, ຊາວເມືອງ, ແລະປະຊາຊົນທັງປວງ—ເຖິງສິ່ງທີ່ພຣະອົງປາດຖະນາຈະເຮັດ. ທັນທີທີ່ໄດ້ຍິນຖ້ອຍຄໍານັ້ນ ຊາວເມືອງແລະຊາວຊົນນະບົດກໍສັ່ນສະເທືອນໃນໃຈ ແລະເສົ້າໂສກຢ່າງຫນັກ. ພວກເຂົາບໍ່ຕ້ອນຮັບຂໍ້ເສນອນັ້ນ; ແລ້ວພາກັນກ່າວຕໍ່ພຣະຣາຊາດ້ວຍສຽງດຽວກັນວ່າ: “ບໍ່ຄວນເຮັດເຊັ່ນນີ້—ຂໍຢ່າປະຖິ້ມພວກເຮົາແລ້ວເສດຈາກໄປ.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical tension between a ruler’s personal resolve (often toward renunciation and final duty) and the people’s dependence on the king’s protective presence. It frames kingship as a moral bond: the king must act by dharma, yet the subjects’ welfare and emotional security are also part of that dharma.
Yudhiṣṭhira summons the key constituents of the kingdom (ministers, citizens, and provincial people) and openly states his intended course of action—his plan to depart. On hearing this, the populace becomes distressed and collectively urges him not to leave.