Shloka 86
Sabhā Parva, Adhyāya 68 — Pāṇḍavānāṃ Vanavāsa-prasthānaḥ; Duḥśāsana-nindā; Pāṇḍava-pratijñāḥ
श्रेयान् सुधन्वा त्वत्तो वै मत्त: श्रेयांस्तथाज्िरा: । माता सुधन्वनश्वापि मातृतः श्रेयसी तव । विरोचन सुधन्वायं प्राणानामी श्वरस्तव
kāśyapa uvāca |
śreyān sudhanvā tvatto vai mattaḥ śreyāṁs tathāṅgirāḥ |
mātā sudhanvanaś cāpi mātṛtaḥ śreyasī tava |
virocana sudhanvāyaṁ prāṇānām īśvaras tava ||
Kāśyapa berkata: “Sudhanvā sesungguhnya lebih mulia daripada engkau; dan ayahnya, Aṅgirā, lebih mulia daripada aku. Ibu Sudhanvā juga lebih mulia daripada ibumu. Maka, wahai Virocana, Sudhanvā inilah tuan atas nafas kehidupanmu sendiri.”
कश्यप उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse asserts a hierarchy of excellence (śreyas) grounded in recognized superiority—of a person and their lineage—and uses that hierarchy to establish legitimate authority: Virocana is told to accept Sudhanvā’s supremacy to the point of acknowledging him as ‘lord of his life-breaths,’ i.e., one whose command cannot be disregarded.
Kāśyapa addresses Virocana and formally declares Sudhanvā superior to him, then extends the comparison to their parents (Aṅgirā and the mothers). On that basis, Kāśyapa concludes that Sudhanvā holds decisive power over Virocana’s life, indicating a compelled submission or the settling of a contest by acknowledged superiority.