Shloka 8
Droṇa–Vidura–Gāndhārī Counsel in the Royal Assembly (धर्मार्थयुक्ता सभा-उपदेश-प्रकरणम्)
आचार्यो वा महाभाग भारद्वाज: किमब्रवीत् । पिता वा धृतराष्ट्रस्तं गान्धारी वा किमब्रवीत्
ācāryo vā mahābhāga bhāradvājaḥ kim abravīt | pitā vā dhṛtarāṣṭras taṃ gāndhārī vā kim abravīt, mahābhāga |
Yudhiṣṭhira nói: “Hỡi bậc cao quý, khi ấy vị thầy đáng tôn kính—con trai của Bhāradvāja (Droṇa)—đã nói gì? Và phụ vương Dhṛtarāṣṭra, hay mẫu hậu Gāndhārī, đã nói gì với hắn? Xin kể cho ta, hỡi bậc đại hồn.”
युधिष्टिर उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds ethical accountability before war: Yudhiṣṭhira seeks to know what counsel was offered by elders and authorities (teacher, father, mother). It implies that decisions leading to conflict should be weighed against wise guidance and familial-dharmic responsibility.
In the Udyoga Parva’s lead-up to the Kurukṣetra war, Yudhiṣṭhira asks what Droṇa, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and Gāndhārī said to the concerned party (contextually, Duryodhana), requesting a report of their words and advice at that critical moment.