Shloka 13
Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 25: Kaurava Deliberation and the Search Directive (अन्वेषण-आदेशः)
नरेन्द्र बहुशो<न्विष्टा नैव विद्यश्न॒ पाण्डवान् । अत्यन्तं वा विनष्टास्ते भद्रं तुभ्यं नर्षभ,महाराज! हमने पर्वतोंके ऊँचे-ऊँचे शिखरोंपर, भिन्न-भिन्न देशोंमें, जनसमूहसे भरे हुए स्थानोंमें तथा तराईके गाँवों, बाजारों और नगरोंमें भी उनकी बहुत खोज की, परंतु कहीं भी पाण्डवोंका पता नहीं लगा। नरश्रेष्ठी] आपका कल्याण हो। सम्भव है, वे सर्वथा नष्ट हो गये हों
Vaiśampāyana uvāca: Narendra bahuśo ’nviṣṭā naiva vidmaḥ sma Pāṇḍavān; atyantaṃ vā vinaṣṭās te, bhadraṃ tubhyaṃ nṛṣabha.
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai Raja, berkali-kali kami mencari para Pāṇḍava, namun tetap tidak menemukan sebarang jejak. Mungkin mereka telah binasa sama sekali. Semoga kesejahteraan menyertai tuanku, wahai banteng di antara manusia.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the ethical weight of truthful reporting in governance: messengers or advisers must convey uncertainty honestly (“we do not know”), while also offering respectful goodwill to the ruler. It also underscores how quickly political stability can be shaken by the disappearance of key figures.
A report is being delivered to a king: despite repeated searches, no information about the Pāṇḍavas has been found, and the speaker suggests the grim possibility that they may have perished. The statement is framed with courtly honorifics and a blessing for the king’s welfare.