Shloka 15

उद्योगपर्व — विदुरोक्तिः

Dhṛtarāṣṭra Addressed on Sincerity, Hospitality, and Settlement

Devanagari script

स्वलंकृताश्च॒ कल्याण्य: पादैरेव सहस्रश: । वारमुख्या महाभागं प्रत्युद्यास्यन्ति केशवम्‌,सहस्रों सुन्दरी वारांगनाएँ सुन्दर वेषभूषासे सज-धजकर महाभाग केशवकी अगवानीके लिये पैदल ही जायँगी

Transliteration

svalaṅkṛtāś ca kalyāṇyaḥ pādair eva sahasraśaḥ | vāramukhyā mahābhāgaṃ pratyudyāsyanti keśavam ||

Translation

Sinabi ni Dhṛtarāṣṭra: “Nakagayak sa mga alahas at mapalad na kasuotan, libu-libong tanyag na mga kurtisan ay lalakad nang paa upang salubungin ang marangal na si Keśava.”

Word by Word

सु-अलंकृताःwell-adorned

चand

कल्याण्यःauspicious/beautiful women

पादैःwith (their) feet; on foot

एवindeed/only

सहस्रशःby thousands; in thousands

वारमुख्याःchief courtesans (lit. foremost among courtesans)

महाभागम्the greatly fortunate/noble (one)

प्रति-उद्यास्यन्तिwill go forth to meet/receive

केशवम्Keshava (Krishna)

Speaker

धृतराष्ट उवाच

Characters & Entities

Dhṛtarāṣṭra

Keśava (Kṛṣṇa)

vāramukhyāḥ (chief courtesans)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

External grandeur and sensual or courtly display cannot substitute for dharma. The verse hints at an attempt to influence or honor Kṛṣṇa through spectacle, while the ethical weight of his mission is to insist on justice, restraint, and truthful reconciliation.

What is happening in the narrative?

Dhṛtarāṣṭra describes the arrangements to receive Keśava (Kṛṣṇa) with great pomp: thousands of richly adorned leading courtesans will go out on foot to welcome him, reflecting the court’s elaborate reception plans during the tense pre-war diplomacy.