Shloka 4

Droṇa–Vidura–Gāndhārī Counsel in the Royal Assembly (धर्मार्थयुक्ता सभा-उपदेश-प्रकरणम्)

Devanagari script

संध्यामुपास्य ध्यायन्तस्तमेव गतमानसा: । आनाय्य कृष्णं दाशाहईं पुनर्मन्त्रममन्त्रयन्‌

Transliteration

sandhyām upāsya dhyāyantas tam eva gatamānasāḥ | ānāyya kṛṣṇaṃ dāśārhaṃ punar mantram amantrayan |

Translation

Вайшампаяна сказал: «Совершив сумеречное поклонение и предаваясь размышлению, устремив ум лишь к Нему одному, они призвали Кришну из рода Дашархов и вновь вступили с ним в тайный совет.»

Word by Word

सन्ध्याम्the twilight (sandhyā)

उपास्यhaving worshipped/observed

ध्यायन्तःmeditating

तम्him

एवindeed/only

गतमानसाःwith minds fixed (on him)

आनाय्यhaving brought

कृष्णम्Kṛṣṇa

दाशार्हम्the Dāśārha (descendant of Daśārha)

पुनःagain

मन्त्रम्the mantra

अमन्त्रयन्they consulted/spoke (secretly)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Kṛṣṇa

Dāśārha (clan/epithet)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse links disciplined ritual life (Sandhyā worship) and inward concentration with ethical decision-making: after centering themselves through worship and meditation, the leaders seek wise counsel from Kṛṣṇa, implying that major actions—especially those leading toward conflict—should be preceded by self-restraint, clarity of mind, and consultation with the truly discerning.

What is happening in the narrative?

After completing twilight worship and meditating with focused minds, the group brings Kṛṣṇa (called Dāśārha) and again engages him in deliberation—renewing strategic and moral consultation as events move toward decisive political and martial outcomes in the Udyoga Parva.