Shloka 3
Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Reception Plan for Janārdana (Kṛṣṇa): Gifts, Procession, and Protocol
अद्भुतं महदाश्चर्य श्रूयते कुरुनन्दन । स्त्रियो बालाश्च वृद्धाश्व कथयन्ति गृहे गृहे
adbhutaṁ mahad āścaryaṁ śrūyate kurunandana | striyo bālāś ca vṛddhāś ca kathayanti gṛhe gṛhe ||
毗湿摩波耶那说：“噢，俱卢族的欢欣之人啊，一件宏大而奇异的惊世之事正被传闻。在家家户户，妇女、孩童与老人都在谈论它。”
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights how extraordinary events—often read as omens—permeate society and shape collective judgment. In the Mahābhārata’s ethical frame, widespread ‘wonder’ is not mere gossip: it signals a moral and political crisis approaching, urging rulers to attend to dharma and public conscience.
Vaiśampāyana reports to his listener that a remarkable, astonishing matter is being heard everywhere. People across social groups—women, children, and elders—are discussing it in every household, indicating that the news/omen has become a city-wide (and kingdom-wide) topic.