Shloka 3
Adhyāya 128 — Proposal to Restrain Keśava; Sātyaki’s Warning and Vidura–Dhṛtarāṣṭra Counsel
“तात! जाओ, परम बुद्धिमती और दूरदर्शिनी गान्धारीदेवीको यहाँ बुला लाओ। मैं उसीके साथ इस दुर्बुद्धिको समझा-बुझाकर राहपर लानेकी चेष्टा करूँगा ।। यदि सापि दुरात्मानं शमयेद् दुष्टचेतसम् । अपि कृष्णस्य सुहृदस्तिछतेम वचने वयम्,“यदि वह भी उस दुष्टचित्त दुरात्माको शान््त कर सके तो हमलोग अपने सुहृद् श्रीकृष्णकी आज्ञाका पालन कर सकते हैं
tāta! yāhi, paramabuddhimatīṃ dūradarśinīṃ gāndhārīdevīm iha ānaya. aham asyāḥ sārdhaṃ imaṃ durbuddhiṃ samyak samāśvāsya mārge pratiṣṭhāpayituṃ yatnaṃ kariṣyāmi. yadi sāpi durātmānaṃ śamayet duṣṭacetasaṃ, api kṛṣṇasya suhṛdaḥ śāsanaṃ vayaṃ pālayituṃ śaknumaḥ.
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai anakku, pergilah—bawalah ke mari Permaisuri Gāndhārī, yang amat bijaksana dan berpandangan jauh. Bersamanya aku akan cuba menasihati orang yang tersesat ini dan mengembalikannya ke jalan yang benar. Jika bahkan beliau mampu menenangkan insan berhati jahat dan berniat buruk itu, maka kita masih dapat melaksanakan titah sahabat yang mengasihi kita, Śrī Kṛṣṇa.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when someone is obstinate and ill-intentioned, dharmic leadership first attempts restraint and reform through wise counsel—especially by those whose moral authority can reach the offender. The verse also frames ethical action as fidelity to a righteous well-wisher’s instruction (here, Kṛṣṇa’s).
In the peace-effort setting of the Udyoga Parva, a messenger is told to bring Queen Gāndhārī. The speaker intends to join her in advising and pacifying the misguided Kaurava leader (implicitly Duryodhana), hoping that her influence will make it possible to fulfill Kṛṣṇa’s directive aimed at preventing war.