Shloka 116
Adhyāya 128 — Proposal to Restrain Keśava; Sātyaki’s Warning and Vidura–Dhṛtarāṣṭra Counsel
यो जानन् पापतामस्य तत्प्रज्ञामनुवर्तसे । महाराज! आपको अपना बेटा बहुत प्रिय है, अतः वर्तमान परिस्थितिके लिये आप ही अत्यन्त निन्दनीय हैं; क्योंकि आप उसके पापपूर्ण विचारोंको जानते हुए भी सदा उसीकी बुद्धिका अनुसरण करते हैं
yo jānan pāpatām asya tat-prajñām anuvartase | mahārāja! āpako apnā beṭā bahut priya hai, ataḥ vartamāna paristhiti ke liye āp hī atyanta nindanīya haiṁ; kyoṅki āp uske pāpapūrṇa vicāroṁ ko jānte hue bhī sadā usī kī buddhikā anusaraṇa karte haiṁ |
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Walaupun tuanku mengetahui kecenderungan berdosa dalam perbuatannya, tuanku tetap mengikuti nasihat daripada fikiran itu juga. Wahai raja agung, kerana putera tuanku amatlah dikasihi, maka dalam keadaan sekarang tuanku paling patut dipersalahkan—kerana dengan sedar tuanku terus menyelaraskan diri dengan niat jahatnya.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Knowing that a course is wrong does not absolve one if one still chooses to support it. The verse condemns moral complicity born of attachment—especially a ruler’s failure to restrain or oppose a loved one’s unrighteous intentions.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war counsel, the narrator reports a rebuke directed at the king: despite recognizing his son’s sinful designs, the king continues to follow his son’s policy, making the king particularly culpable in the unfolding crisis.