Shloka 120
अनुक्रमणिकाध्यायः (Anukramaṇikā Adhyāya) — Invocation, Narrator Frame, and Textual Scope
कोई कहते, “ये पाण्डुके पुत्र नहीं हैं। दूसरे कहते, “अजी! ये उन्हींके हैं।! कुछ लोग कहते, “जब पाण्डुको मरे इतने दिन हो गये, तब ये उनके पुत्र कैसे हो सकते हैं?” ।। स्वागतं सर्वथा दिष्ट्या पाण्डो: पश्याम संततिम् | उच्यतां स्वागतमिति वाचो<श्रूयन्त सर्वश:,फिर सब लोग कहने लगे, “हम तो सर्वथा इनका स्वागत करते हैं। हमारे लिये बड़े सौभाग्यकी बात है कि आज हम महाराज पाण्डुकी संतानको अपनी आँखोंसे देख रहे हैं।' फिर तो सब ओरसे स्वागत बोलनेवालोंकी ही बातें सुनायी देने लगीं
svāgataṃ sarvathā diṣṭyā pāṇḍoḥ paśyāma santatim | ucyatāṃ svāgatam iti vāco 'śrūyanta sarvaśaḥ ||
Uns diziam: “Não são filhos de Pāṇḍu”; outros respondiam: “Ora, são sim!”; e alguns acrescentavam: “Se Pāṇḍu morreu há tanto tempo, como podem ser seus filhos?” Mas então todos passaram a dizer: “Sejam bem-vindos, bem-vindos de todo o coração! É grande fortuna para nós ver hoje, com os próprios olhos, a descendência do rei Pāṇḍu.” E, de toda parte, só se ouviam palavras de acolhida.
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights a dharmic social impulse: when rightful lineage and royal continuity are acknowledged, the community moves from suspicion and rumor to respectful reception. Ethical speech shifts from divisive doubt to a unifying, courteous affirmation—“svāgatam”—which restores social harmony.
After mixed talk about whether the newcomers could truly be Pāṇḍu’s sons, the crowd’s tone changes. From all directions people proclaim welcome and express that it is their good fortune to see Pāṇḍu’s progeny, and the dominant sound becomes greetings of reception.