Shloka 11
Virāṭa-sabhāyāṃ Saṃniveśaḥ — Assembly at Virāṭa’s Hall and Kṛṣṇa’s Diplomatic Counsel
शक्तैविंजेतुं तरसा महीं च सत्ये स्थितै: सत्यरथैर्यथावत् । पाण्डो: सुतैस्तद् व्रतमुग्ररूप॑ं वर्षाणि षट् सप्त च चीर्णमग्रयै:,पाण्डव सदा सत्यपर आरूढ़ रहते हैं। सत्य ही इनका रथ (आश्रय) है। इनमें वेगपूर्वक समस्त भूमण्डल-को जीत लेनेकी शक्ति है तथापि इन वीराग्रगण्य पाण्डु-कुमारोंने सत्यका खयाल करके तेरह वर्षोोतक वनवास और अज्ञातवासके उस कठोर व्रतका धैर्यपूर्वक पालन किया है, जिसका स्वरूप बड़ा ही उग्र है
śaktā evaṁ jetuṁ tarasā mahīṁ ca satye sthitaiḥ satyarathair yathāvat | pāṇḍoḥ sutais tad vrataṁ ugrarūpaṁ varṣāṇi ṣaṭ sapta ca cīrṇam agryaiḥ ||
Ang mga anak ni Pāṇḍu ay matatag na nakaugat sa katotohanan—ang katotohanan mismo ang kanilang karwahe at kanlungan—at taglay nila ang lakas na masakop ang buong daigdig nang mabilis at ganap. Gayunman, ang mga pangunahing bayani, alang-alang sa katotohanan, ay nagtiis at tumupad sa mabagsik na panatang iyon sa pinakamasaklap nitong anyo: anim na taon at dagdag pang pito—labintatlong taon ng pagkatapon at pagtatago—nang walang pag-uurong-sulong.
श्रीकृष्ण उवाच
Educational Q&A
Moral power is shown not only in the ability to win kingdoms but in steadfast commitment to satya (truth) and vrata (a pledged duty). The Pāṇḍavas could have seized power by force, yet they chose to honor their pledged terms of exile, presenting truthfulness and self-restraint as higher than immediate victory.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa describes the Pāṇḍavas’ strength and legitimacy: they are capable of conquering the earth quickly, but they deliberately endured the full thirteen-year vow of forest exile and incognito living. This underscores their ethical standing as the conflict moves toward negotiation and war.