धृतराष्ट्रविलापः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament and Inquiry (Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 2)
यश्न तेषां प्रणेता वै वासुदेवोी महाबल:
yasya teṣāṃ praṇetā vai vāsudevo mahābalaḥ
Bagi mereka, pemimpin yang sebenar ialah Vāsudeva—yang maha perkasa—dan bimbingannyalah yang menentukan haluan mereka. Pernyataan ini menegaskan bahawa kekuatan dalam perang bukan semata-mata tenaga jasmani, tetapi juga kepimpinan yang sah serta nasihat yang tajam lagi berhemah.
धघतयाट्र उवाच
The verse highlights that decisive strength in a conflict comes from rightful leadership and guiding intelligence—embodied here by Vāsudeva—rather than from brute force alone.
The speaker points out that a particular side’s direction and success are grounded in having Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa) as their guide/leader, emphasizing his strategic and moral influence within the unfolding war context.