Shloka 4
अध्याय २९ — वासुदेव–संजय संवादः
Karma, Varṇa-Dharma, and the Ethics of Governance
आप्तो दूत: संजय सुप्रियो5सि कल्याणवाक् शीलवांस्तृप्तिमांश्व न मुहोस्त्वं संजय जातु मत्या न च क़्ुद्धोरुच्यमानो दुरुक्तै:
āpto dūtaḥ saṃjaya supriyo ’si kalyāṇavāk śīlavāṃs tṛptimāṃś ca | na muhos tvaṃ saṃjaya jātu matyā na ca kruddho rucyamāno duruktaiḥ ||
युधिष्ठिर उवाच—संजय, त्वमाप्तो दूतः, अस्माकं चातिप्रियः। कल्याणवाक् शीलवान् तृप्तिमांश्च। न जातु ते मतिः मुह्यति, न च दुरुक्तैः श्रुतैः क्रुद्धो भवसि।
युधिछिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse upholds ethical virtues essential for counsel and diplomacy: trustworthy service, beneficial speech, contentment, clarity of judgment, and restraint from anger even when provoked by harsh words.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war negotiations, Yudhiṣṭhira addresses Sañjaya—who has come as Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s messenger—acknowledging his reliability and exemplary conduct before engaging with the message and the tense political situation.