Shloka 12
ऋषिसमागमः — युधिष्ठिरस्य शोकवर्णनम्
Sage Assembly and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Articulation of Grief
कच्चिच्च निहतामित्र: प्रीणासि सुह्ृदो नूप । कच्चिच्छियमिमां प्राप्प न त्वां शोक: प्रबाधते,“नरेश्वर! आपके शत्रु तो मारे जा चुके। अब आप अपने सुहृदोंको तो प्रसन्न रखते हैं न? इस राज्यलक्ष्मीको पाकर आपको कोई शोक तो नहीं सता रहा है?'
kaccic ca nihatāmītraḥ prīṇāsi suhṛdo nūpa | kaccic chrīyam imāṃ prāpya na tvāṃ śokaḥ prabādhate ||
Muôn tâu bệ hạ! Kẻ thù của bệ hạ quả đã bị diệt trừ chăng? Bệ hạ có làm cho những người thân hữu, kẻ thiện tâm đối với mình được thỏa lòng chăng? Và khi đã đạt được phú quý vương quyền này, bệ hạ có thoát khỏi nỗi sầu khổ quấy nhiễu chăng?
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse frames kingship as more than victory: a ruler must ensure the well-being of allies and inner stability. Even after gaining sovereignty and prosperity, one must not be ruled by grief; ethical governance requires both external security (enemies subdued) and internal composure (freedom from debilitating sorrow).
Vaiśaṃpāyana, narrating the events, poses welfare-questions to the king: whether the enemies have been defeated, whether friends and supporters are being kept content, and whether the newly obtained royal fortune is accompanied by peace of mind rather than grief—setting the tone for Śānti Parva’s reflections after the war.