Shloka 6
उद्योगपर्व — विदुरोक्तिः
Dhṛtarāṣṭra Addressed on Sincerity, Hospitality, and Settlement
एकवर्ण: सुक्लूृप्ताड्रैर्बाद्विजातैर्हयोत्तमै: । चतुर्युक्तान् रथांस्तस्मै रौक्मान् दास्यामि षघोडश
ekavarṇāḥ suklṛptāṅgair bāhlīkadeśasambhavaiḥ | dvijātair hayottamaiś caturyuktān rathāṁs tasmai raukmān dāsyāmi ṣoḍaśa ||
Dhṛtarāṣṭra berkata: “Kepada baginda (Kṛṣṇa) akan aku persembahkan enam belas kereta kencana, masing-masing dipasangkan empat ekor kuda unggul—sewarna, bertubuh tegap, daripada baka terbaik, dan lahir di negeri Bāhlīka.”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a common ethical tension in statecraft: attempting to resolve a looming conflict through honor, hospitality, and material gifts. It implicitly raises the question of whether external offerings can substitute for a just settlement grounded in dharma.
Dhṛtarāṣṭra speaks about presenting Kṛṣṇa with an impressive diplomatic gift—sixteen golden chariots with elite four-horse teams from Bāhlīka—within the broader context of negotiations before the Kurukṣetra war.