Shloka 13
ततो मित्रेषु सर्वेषु वासुदेवं च भारत । प्रेषयामास कौन्तेयो विराटश्ष महीपति:,जनमेजय! तदनन्तर कुन्तीनन्दन युधिष्ठिर तथा राजा विराटने अपने-अपने सम्पूर्ण सुहृदों एवं सगे-सम्बन्धियोंको तथा भगवान् वासुदेवको भी निमन्त्रण भेजा
tato mitreṣu sarveṣu vāsudevaṃ ca bhārata | preṣayāmāsa kaunteyo virāṭaś ca mahīpatiḥ janamejaya ||
Vaiśampāyana berkata: Maka, wahai Bhārata, putera Kuntī (Yudhiṣṭhira) dan Raja Virāṭa, wahai Janamejaya, mengutus jemputan kepada semua sahabat mereka, dan turut menjemput Vāsudeva. Dalam alur kisah, hal ini menandai peralihan daripada penyamaran dan bahaya kepada pembinaan pakatan secara terbuka, menegaskan adab yang benar menurut dharma—memuliakan kaum kerabat, sekutu, dan Yang Ilahi—sebelum tindakan politik yang menentukan.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights dharmic statecraft: before major undertakings, a righteous king honours relationships—friends, kin, and revered figures—through proper invitation and consultation. It also signals reverence toward Vāsudeva, implying that ethical action is strengthened by seeking wise and divine counsel.
After the events of the Virāṭa episode, Yudhiṣṭhira and King Virāṭa begin formal preparations by sending invitations to their allies and specifically to Vāsudeva (Kṛṣṇa), indicating the consolidation of support and the move toward the next phase of the story.