Shloka 31
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 130: Kuntī’s Instruction on Rājadharma and Daṇḍanīti
इसी प्रकार वृष्णिवंशके सम्मानित वीर हृदिकपुत्र महारथी कृतवर्मा भी एक-दूसरे रथपर बैठे दिखायी दिये ।। उपस्थितरथं शौरिं प्रयास्यन्तमरिंदमम् । धृतराष्ट्री महाराज: पुनरेवाभ्यभाषत,शत्रुदमन भगवान् श्रीकृष्णका रथ उपस्थित है और अब ये यहाँसे चले जायँगे; ऐसा जानकर महाराज धुृतराष्ट्रने पुन: उनसे कहा--
upasthitarathaṁ śauriṁ prayāsyantam ariṁdamam | dhṛtarāṣṭro mahārājaḥ punar evābhyabhāṣata ||
एवमेव वृष्णिवंशे सम्मानितो वीरः हृदिकपुत्रो महारथी कृतवर्मा अपि परस्पररथेषु उपविष्टो दृश्यते स्म। अथ शत्रुदमनं शौरिं रथोपस्थितं प्रयाणोन्मुखं च दृष्ट्वा महाराजो धृतराष्ट्रः पुनरेव तमभ्यभाषत— “उपस्थितोऽयं ते रथः, भगवन्; अधुना त्वं गन्तुमिच्छसि” इति ज्ञात्वा।
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even at the brink of conflict, a ruler must seek and heed righteous counsel; repeated appeals reveal both the urgency of dharma and the moral accountability of leadership when decisions can avert or unleash war.
Kṛṣṇa is seen with his chariot ready and is about to leave; recognizing this, Dhṛtarāṣṭra speaks to him again, attempting to continue the conversation at a critical moment in the negotiations.