Shloka 31
शान्ति पर्व (अध्याय 38): युधिष्ठिरस्य राजधर्म-जिज्ञासा तथा भीष्मोपसर्पण-प्रस्तावना | Shanti Parva Chapter 38: Yudhishthira’s Inquiry into Rajadharma and the Prelude to Approaching Bhishma
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततो राजन ब्राह्मणास्ते सर्व एव विशाम्पते । ऊचुर्नैतद् वचो<स्माकं श्रीरस्तु तव पार्थिव
vaiśampāyana uvāca | tato rājan brāhmaṇās te sarva eva viśāmpate | ūcur naitad vaco 'smākaṃ śrīr astu tava pārthiva ||
वैशम्पायन म्हणाला—“मग, हे राजन्, हे प्रजानाथ, ते सर्व ब्राह्मण एकमुखाने म्हणाले—‘महाराज! हे आमचे वचन नाही. हे पृथ्वीपती, आम्ही तुम्हाला आशीर्वाद देतो—तुमची राजलक्ष्मी सदैव टिकून राहो.’”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of speech and collective responsibility: the brāhmaṇas publicly disown a statement not attributable to them and instead offer an auspicious benediction, reinforcing that counsel to a king should be truthful, owned, and oriented toward welfare and stability (śrī).
After hearing a remark attributed to them, the assembled brāhmaṇas address the king and clarify that the words are not theirs; they then bless him, saying that royal fortune/prosperity should remain with him.