Shloka 1
The Departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa from Hastināpura
शौनक उवाच हत्वा स्वरिक्थस्पृध आततायिनो युधिष्ठिरो धर्मभृतां वरिष्ठ: । सहानुजै: प्रत्यवरुद्धभोजन: कथं प्रवृत्त: किमकारषीत्तत: ॥ १ ॥
śaunaka uvāca hatvā svariktha-spṛdha ātatāyino yudhiṣṭhiro dharma-bhṛtāṁ variṣṭhaḥ sahānujaiḥ pratyavaruddha-bhojanaḥ kathaṁ pravṛttaḥ kim akāraṣīt tataḥ
เศานกมุนีทูลถามว่า หลังจากสังหารผู้รุกรานที่หมายชิงมรดกอันชอบธรรมแล้ว มหาราชยุธิษฐิระผู้เลิศในหมู่ผู้ทรงธรรม พร้อมด้วยน้องชายทั้งหลาย ปกครองประชาชนอย่างไร? เขาย่อมไม่อาจเสวยสุขแห่งราชย์อย่างไร้กังวลได้แน่
Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was the greatest of all men of religion. Thus he was not at all inclined to fight with his cousins for the sake of enjoying the kingdom; he fought for the right cause because the kingdom of Hastināpura was his rightful inheritance and his cousins wanted to usurp it for themselves. He fought, therefore, for the right cause under the guidance of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, but he could not enjoy the results of his victory because his cousins were all killed in the fight. He therefore ruled over the kingdom as a matter of duty, assisted by his younger brothers. The inquiry was important for Śaunaka Ṛṣi, who wanted to know about the behavior of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira when he was at ease to enjoy the kingdom.
FAQs
This verse frames Yudhiṣṭhira as the foremost upholder of dharma and asks how he proceeded after the war—highlighting his deep moral sensitivity and restraint even regarding food.
Śaunaka is drawing out the next part of Sūta’s narration: the post-war conduct of a righteous king, especially Yudhiṣṭhira’s remorse and dharmic deliberation after the slaying of the Kuru aggressors.
Even when an action is legally or morally justified, a dharmic person reflects deeply on consequences and practices self-restraint—acting responsibly rather than triumphantly.