Shloka 473
Dambhodbhava, Nara-Nārāyaṇa, and the Counsel to Abandon Hubris
Udyoga-parva 94
धर्मज्ञेषु सभासत्सु नेह युक्तमसाम्प्रतम् । भरतश्रेष्ठ! आपके पुत्र पाण्डवोंने इस सभाके लिये भी यह संदेश दिया है--“आप समस्त सभासदगण धर्मके ज्ञाता हैं। आपके रहते हुए यहाँ कोई अयोग्य कार्य हो
dharmajñeṣu sabhāsatsu neha yuktam asāmpratam | bharataśreṣṭha! āpake putra pāṇḍavoṃ ne isa sabhā ke liye bhī yaha saṃdeśa diyā hai—“āpa samasta sabhāsadgaṇa dharma ke jñātā haiṃ | āpake rahate hue yahāṃ koī ayogya kārya ho, yaha ucita nahīṃ hai”
धर्मज्ञेषु सभासत्सु नेह युक्तमसाम्प्रतम् । भरतश्रेष्ठ! पाण्डवाः पुत्रास्तवापि सभायै संदेशमिमं प्रेषयामासुः—“यूयं सर्वे सभासदः धर्मज्ञाः। युष्मासु तिष्ठत्सु अत्र किमप्ययोग्यं कर्म भवेत्, न तत् उचितम्।”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
Moral authority entails responsibility: when dharma-knowing elders and courtiers are present, they must prevent improper actions. Silence or inaction in the face of adharma becomes a failure of duty.
In the Udyoga Parva’s pre-war diplomacy, a message attributed to the Pāṇḍavas is presented in the royal assembly, appealing to the court’s collective dharma-knowledge and urging that no unworthy decision or deed be permitted under their watch.