Shloka 6
कृष्ण-दूतविषये दुर्योधनस्य बन्धन-प्रस्तावः — Duryodhana’s Proposal to Detain Krishna
Envoy-Ethics Debate
यत् त्वमिच्छसि कृष्णाय राजन्नतिथये बहु । एतदन्यच्च दाशार्ह: पृथिवीमपि चाहति,नरेश्वर! श्रीकृष्णको अतिथिरूपमें पाकर आप जो उन्हें बहुत-सी वस्तुएँ देना चाहते हैं, उन सबके साथ-साथ वे आपसे इस समूची पृथ्वीके भी पानेके अधिकारी हैं
yat tvam icchasi kṛṣṇāya rājann atithaye bahu | etad anyac ca dāśārhaḥ pṛthivīm api cāhati nareśvara ||
Vidura berkata: “Wahai Raja, segala hadiah yang banyak yang tuanku ingin persembahkan kepada Kṛṣṇa sebagai tetamu yang dimuliakan—bersama semua itu dan lebih lagi, Dāśārha itu layak bahkan atas seluruh bumi. Wahai penguasa manusia, jangan menyangka kunjungannya dapat dipuaskan dengan layanan tetamu yang biasa; haknya menurut dharma dan martabat moralnya menjangkau hingga ke kedaulatan itu sendiri.”
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Vidura underscores that true honor to a righteous and powerful envoy like Kṛṣṇa is not fulfilled by lavish gifts alone; ethical governance and rightful political settlement matter more. The verse hints that Kṛṣṇa’s moral authority and the justice of the Pāṇḍavas’ cause make him ‘worthy even of the earth,’ pressing the king toward a dharmic resolution rather than superficial hospitality.
In Udyoga Parva, as tensions before the war peak, Kṛṣṇa comes on a diplomatic mission. Vidura addresses the king, warning that Kṛṣṇa is no ordinary guest: whatever offerings the king plans, Kṛṣṇa’s stature and the justice he represents extend to claims over sovereignty itself—implicitly urging the king to restore what is rightfully due and avert catastrophe.