Shloka 18
Vidura’s Recall from Kāmyaka-vana and Reconciliation with Dhṛtarāṣṭra (विदुरानयनम् / क्षमायाचनम्)
वयं तु शस्त्राण्यादाय रथानास्थाय दंशिता: । गच्छाम: सहिता हन्तुं पाण्डवान् वनगोचरान्,“मेरी राय यह है कि हम कवच पहनकर अपने-अपने रथपर आखरूढ़ हो अस्त्र-शस्त्र लेकर वनवासी पाण्डवोंको मारनेके लिये एक साथ उनपर धावा करें
vayaṃ tu śastrāṇy ādāya rathān āsthāya daṃśitāḥ | gacchāmaḥ sahitā hantuṃ pāṇḍavān vanagocarān ||
Vaiśampāyana disse: “Meu conselho é este: vistamos a armadura, subamos a nossos carros, tomemos as armas e, juntos, avancemos para abater os Pāṇḍavas que agora vagueiam pela floresta.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how counsel can normalize violence by framing it as strategy—raising a dharmic question: whether power and grievance justify attacking those living in exile, and how intent and means shape moral responsibility.
A proposal is voiced to mobilize immediately—armoring up, mounting chariots, and moving as a united force—to hunt down and kill the forest-dwelling Pāṇḍavas, escalating hostility from rivalry to planned armed assault.