Shloka 3
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Reception Plan for Janārdana (Kṛṣṇa): Gifts, Procession, and Protocol
अद्भुतं महदाश्चर्य श्रूयते कुरुनन्दन । स्त्रियो बालाश्च वृद्धाश्व कथयन्ति गृहे गृहे
adbhutaṁ mahad āścaryaṁ śrūyate kurunandana | striyo bālāś ca vṛddhāś ca kathayanti gṛhe gṛhe ||
Vaiśampāyana disse: “Ó alegria dos Kurus, ouve-se falar de um prodígio grande e maravilhoso. Em cada casa, mulheres, crianças e anciãos comentam isso.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how extraordinary events—often read as omens—permeate society and shape collective judgment. In the Mahābhārata’s ethical frame, widespread ‘wonder’ is not mere gossip: it signals a moral and political crisis approaching, urging rulers to attend to dharma and public conscience.
Vaiśampāyana reports to his listener that a remarkable, astonishing matter is being heard everywhere. People across social groups—women, children, and elders—are discussing it in every household, indicating that the news/omen has become a city-wide (and kingdom-wide) topic.