Shloka 5
Dambhodbhava, Nara-Nārāyaṇa, and the Counsel to Abandon Hubris
Udyoga-parva 94
इदं हाद्य कुल श्रेष्ठ सर्वराजसु पार्थिव । श्रुतवृत्तोपसम्पन्नं सर्वे: समुदितं गुणै:
idaṁ hādya kulaśreṣṭha sarvarājasu pārthiva | śrutavṛttopasampannaṁ sarvaiḥ samuditaṁ guṇaiḥ ||
Vaiśampāyana disse: “Ó rei, entre todas as casas reais, esta linhagem dos Kurus é a mais eminente. Distingue-se pela reverência ao saber sagrado e pela prática da conduta justa, e encontra-se dotada de toda excelência.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
True nobility of a royal lineage is measured not merely by power but by adherence to śruta (sacred learning) and vṛtta (righteous conduct). Excellence is framed as ethical and cultural integrity—being ‘endowed with all virtues’—rather than dominance alone.
The narrator Vaiśampāyana praises the Kuru line while addressing a king, presenting the Kurus as preeminent among rulers because of their commitment to learning and proper conduct. This sets an ethical backdrop in the Udyoga Parva, where questions of diplomacy, duty, and impending conflict are evaluated against ideals of dharma.