Shloka 373
धृतराष्ट्रस्य पश्चात्तापः तथा वनप्रस्थानानुज्ञा | Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Remorse and Request for Forest-Retirement
तानाप्तैः पुरुषैर्दूराद घातयेथा नराधिप । “नरेश्वर! जो राजाओंके छिद्र देखा करते हैं, ऐसे राजविद्रोही शत्रुओंका गुप्तचरोंद्वारा पता लगाकर विश्वसनीय पुरुषोंद्वारा उन्हें दूरसे ही मरवा डालना चाहिये
tān āptaiḥ puruṣair dūrād ghātayethā narādhipa |
वैशम्पायन उवाच—नराधिप, ये राज्ञां छिद्रदर्शिनो राजद्रोहिणः शत्रवः, तान् गुप्तचरैः परिज्ञाय, आप्तैः पुरुषैर्दूराद् घातयेथाः।
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse conveys a principle of rājadharma: a ruler must protect the realm by identifying internal threats through intelligence networks and neutralizing treasonous enemies using reliable agents, emphasizing prudence and security over open confrontation.
Vaiśampāyana narrates counsel directed to a king: enemies who seek the king’s weaknesses should be discovered via spies and eliminated discreetly—‘from a distance’—by trusted men, reflecting practical governance measures within the story’s broader moral-political discourse.