Shloka 36
Udyoga-parva Adhyāya 130: Kuntī’s Instruction on Rājadharma and Daṇḍanīti
वैशम्पायन उवाच ततोअब्रवीन्महाबाहुर्धतराष्ट्रं जनार्दन: । द्रोणं पितामहं भीष्म क्षत्तारं बाह्लिकं कृपम्
vaiśampāyana uvāca | tato 'bravīn mahābāhur dhṛtarāṣṭraṃ janārdanaḥ | droṇaṃ pitāmahaṃ bhīṣmaṃ kṣattāraṃ bāhlikaṃ kṛpam |
毗湿摩波耶那说道：于是，臂力无双的阇那尔达那（克里希那）对国王持国——并对德罗那、祖父毗湿摩、宫廷大臣毗度罗、婆诃利迦与克利波——开口说道。
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse foregrounds ethical governance: when a society nears conflict, those with authority—king, teachers, and elders—must be directly addressed and held accountable. Kṛṣṇa’s approach implies that dharma is safeguarded not only by power but by wise counsel and the moral courage of senior leaders to restrain injustice.
Vaiśampāyana narrates that Kṛṣṇa begins speaking to Dhṛtarāṣṭra and the principal Kuru elders (Droṇa, Bhīṣma, Vidura, Bāhlika, and Kṛpa). This sets up a formal admonition/counsel in the royal assembly as negotiations and tensions intensify before the Kurukṣetra war.