Shloka 16
Virāṭa’s Mobilization to Recover the Cattle (गोधनरक्षणार्थ विराटस्य सैन्यसमायोजनम्)
प्राज्ञो वा कुरुवृद्धो5यं सर्वेषां न: पितामह: ।। आचार्यश्न यथा द्रोण: कृप: शारद्वतस्तथा । मन्यन्ते ते यथा सर्वे तथा यात्रा विधीयताम्,“अथवा कुरुकुलमें सबसे वृद्ध हमारे पितामह परम बुद्धिमान् भीष्म, आचार्य द्रोण तथा शरद्वानके पुत्र कृपाचार्य--ये लोग जैसे ठीक समझें, वैसे ही यात्रा करनी चाहिये
prajño vā kuruvṛddho 'yaṃ sarveṣāṃ naḥ pitāmahaḥ | ācāryaś ca yathā droṇaḥ kṛpaḥ śāradvatas tathā | manyante te yathā sarve tathā yātrā vidhīyatām ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Bhīṣma ini—bijaksana dan yang tertua dalam keturunan Kuru—ialah datuk kita semua. Demikian juga guru Droṇa, dan Kṛpa, putera Śaradvat. Maka hendaklah perjalanan ini dilakukan tepat seperti yang dipandang wajar oleh semua para tua-tua itu.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse emphasizes dharmic decision-making through deference to legitimate authority—especially elders and teachers. When action has public consequences (like a journey/expedition), it should be guided by the judgment of those renowned for wisdom, seniority, and moral standing.
In the Virāṭa Parva context, a plan for movement or an expedition is being discussed. The speaker proposes that the course of action be set according to the collective judgment of the Kuru elders—Bhīṣma, Droṇa, and Kṛpa—whose counsel is treated as decisive.