Shloka 9
धृतराष्ट्र-संजय संवादः — उपप्लव्यगमनाज्ञा
Dhṛtarāṣṭra–Saṃjaya Dialogue: Command to Proceed to Upaplavya
यस्यार्जुन: पदवीं केशवश्व वृकोदर: सात्यको5जातशत्रो: | माद्रीपुत्रौ संजयाश्चापि यान्ति पुरा युद्धात् साधु तस्य प्रदानम्,अर्जुन, भगवान् श्रीकृष्ण, भीमसेन, सात्यकि, नकुल, सहदेव और सम्पूर्ण सुंजयवंशी वीर जिनके पीछे चलते हैं, उन युधिष्ठिरको युद्धके पहले ही उनका राज्यभाग दे देनेमें भलाई है कच्चिद् राजा धृतराष्ट्र: सपुत्रो वैचित्रवीर्य: कुशली महात्मा । महाराजो बाह्लिक: प्रातिपेय: कच्चिद् विद्वान् कुशली सूतपुत्र संजय! क्या अपने पुत्रोंसहित विचित्रवीर्यनन्दन महामना राजा धृतराष्ट्र सकुशल हैं? प्रतीपके विद्वान् पुत्र महाराज बाह्नलीक तो कुशलपूर्वक हैं न?
yasya arjunaḥ padavīṁ keśavaś ca vṛkodaraḥ sātyakiḥ ajātaśatruḥ | mādrīputrau sañjayāś cāpi yānti purā yuddhāt sādhu tasya pradānam || kaccid rājā dhṛtarāṣṭraḥ saputro vaicitravīryaḥ kuśalī mahātmā | mahārājo bāhlikaḥ prātipeyaḥ kaccid vidvān kuśalī sūtaputra sañjaya ||
Vaiśaṃpāyana said: “He whom Arjuna leads, and Kṛṣṇa (Keśava) follows; whom Bhīma (Vṛkodara), Sātyaki, and Yudhiṣṭhira (Ajātaśatru) accompany; and behind whom Nakula and Sahadeva—the sons of Mādrī—together with the valiant men of the Sañjaya line proceed: it would be wise to grant that Yudhiṣṭhira his rightful share of the kingdom even before war begins. And tell me, Sañjaya—does the great-souled King Dhṛtarāṣṭra, son of Vicitravīrya, remain well along with his sons? And is the learned King Bāhlika, descendant of Pratīpa, also in good health?”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse urges a dharmic, peace-first resolution: when a righteous claimant is supported by formidable yet principled allies, it is ethically and politically wiser to grant his rightful share before bloodshed, rather than let pride escalate into war.
Vaiśaṃpāyana reports counsel framed around the Pāṇḍavas’ strength and legitimacy—Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa, Bhīma, Sātyaki, and the twins stand behind Yudhiṣṭhira—followed by formal ‘kaccit’ inquiries to Sañjaya about the welfare of Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the elder king Bāhlika.