Shloka 3
Adhyāya 39 — Yudhiṣṭhira’s inquiry on attachment (saṅga) and relational restraint
शक्र उवाच केन शम्बर वृत्तेन स्वजात्यानधितिष्ठसि । श्रेष्ठ त्वां केन मन्यन्ते तद् वै प्रब्रूहि तत्त्वतः,इन्द्र बोले--शम्बरासुर! किस बर्तावसे अपनी जातिवालोंपर शासन करते हो? वे किस कारण तुम्हें सर्वश्रेष्ठ मानते हैं? यह ठीक-ठीक बतलाओ
śakra uvāca kena śambara vṛttena svajātyān adhitīṣṭhasi | śreṣṭha tvāṁ kena manyante tad vai prabrūhi tattvataḥ ||
Śakra disse: “Ó Shambara, por que conduta governas os teus? Por que razão te consideram o mais eminente entre eles? Dize-me isso com verdade e exatidão.”
शक्र उवाच
Educational Q&A
Leadership is grounded in vṛtta (personal conduct) and must be justifiable in truth (tattvataḥ). The verse frames authority as something earned by ethical behavior and recognized excellence, not merely by power.
Śakra (Indra) directly questions Śambara about the basis of his rule over his own community and asks why others consider him the best, demanding a truthful, precise explanation.