Shloka 18
दमयन्त्याः व्याकुलता — स्वयंवरसंनिपातः — देवदूतयाचनम्
Damayantī’s Distress, Proclamation of the Svayaṃvara, and the Gods’ Request
तैश्व॒ यत् कथितं राजन् दृष्टवा पार्थान् पराजितान् | चारेण विदितं सर्व तन्मया5<5वेदितं च ते,राजन्! पाण्डवोंको जूएमें पराजित देखकर उन सबने जो बातें कहीं, उन्हें गुप्तचरोंद्वारा जानकर मैंने आपकी सेवामें निवेदन कर दिया था
taiś ca yat kathitaṃ rājan dṛṣṭvā pārthān parājitān | cāreṇa viditaṃ sarvaṃ tan mayā veditaṃ ca te rājan ||
Sanjaya berkata: “Wahai Raja, segala yang mereka katakan ketika melihat putera-putera Pṛthā ditewaskan, semuanya diketahui melalui para pengintip; dan seluruh perkara itu telah aku laporkan kepada tuanku.”
संजय उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the mechanics and ethics of kingship: information gathered through agents must be responsibly conveyed to the ruler. It also implicitly points to the grave political and moral consequences set in motion by the Pāṇḍavas’ defeat in the dice game.
Sañjaya tells the king that he has learned—through spies—what was being said after people saw the Pāṇḍavas defeated, and that he has already reported the full intelligence to the king.