Shloka 7
अध्याय ५०: उत्तरेण सह अर्जुनस्य रथप्रयाणे ध्वजचिह्नैः कौरवसेनानिर्देशः
Arjuna directs Uttara by identifying Kaurava commanders through banners
वर्तमाना यथाशास्त्र प्राप्प चापि महीमिमाम् । सत्कुर्वन्ति महाभागा गुरून् सुविगुणानपि
vartamānā yathāśāstraṁ prāpya cāpi mahīm imām | satkurvanti mahābhāgā gurūn suviguṇān api ||
Kṛpa berkata: “Orang mulia lagi bertuah, yang bertindak menurut perintah śāstra, bahkan setelah memperoleh kedaulatan atas bumi ini dengan cara yang benar, tetap memuliakan guru-guru mereka—walaupun guru itu kurang bermerit. Namun di sini, kerajaan yang diraih melalui ketidakadilan telah menyebabkan para tua yang layak dihormati pun dipandang hina.”
कृप उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even when one gains power legitimately, dharma requires humility and reverence toward teachers and elders; true nobility is shown by honoring gurus regardless of their personal shortcomings, whereas unjustly gained rule tends to erode respect even for the deserving.
Kṛpa is criticizing a moral inversion: in ideal conduct, righteous rulers honor their gurus; but in the present situation he laments that an unjust acquisition of authority has resulted in disrespect toward worthy elders, signaling a decline in dharma.