Shloka 23
दुर्योधनस्य प्रायोपवेशः — शकुनिसान्त्वनम् तथा कृत्याह्वानम्
Duryodhana’s Fast: Śakuni’s Consolation and the Summoning of a Kṛtyā
घोषा द्वैतवने सर्वे त्वत्प्रतीक्षा नराधिप । घोषयात्रापदेशेन गमिष्यामो न संशय:,“नरेश्वरर गौओंके रहनेके सभी स्थान इस समय द्वैतवनमें ही हैं और वहाँ तुम्हारे पधारनेकी सदा प्रतीक्षा की जाती है; अतः घोषयात्राके बहाने हम वहाँ निःसंदेह चल सकेंगे”
ghoṣā dvaitavane sarve tvatpratīkṣā narādhipa | ghoṣayātrāpadeśena gamiṣyāmo na saṁśayaḥ ||
Sinabi ni Vaiśampāyana: “O hari, ang lahat ng himpilan ng mga baka ay ngayo’y natitipon sa Dvaitavana, at doon ay palaging hinihintay ang pagdating mo. Kaya, sa pagkukunwaring ‘paglilibot sa kampo ng mga baka’ (ghoṣayātrā), tiyak na makararating tayo roon—walang alinlangan.”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights pragmatic statecraft: leaders and their advisers may use socially acceptable reasons (like inspecting cattle-stations) to pursue sensitive movements. Ethically, it raises the tension between straightforward conduct and strategic concealment in governance.
The speaker explains to the king that the cattle-stations are currently in Dvaitavana and that the people there are expecting his visit. Hence, they can travel to Dvaitavana without arousing suspicion by presenting the journey as a routine ghoṣayātrā (inspection of cattle camps).