Shloka 9
धृतराष्ट्रस्य वनप्रस्थानानुज्ञा | Permission for Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Forest-Retirement
अहं हि तावत् सर्वेषां तेषां दुर्दयूतदेविनाम् पुत्राणां दातुमिच्छामि प्रेतभावानुगं वसु,हतपुत्राविमौ वृद्धौ विदित्वा दु:खितौं तथा इति श्रीमहाभारते आश्रमवासिके पर्वणि आश्रमवासपर्वणि धृतराष्ट्रप्रार्थने नवमो<ध्याय:
ahaṃ hi tāvat sarveṣāṃ teṣāṃ durdayūtadevinām putrāṇāṃ dātum icchāmi pretabhāvānugaṃ vasu, hataputrāv imau vṛddhau viditvā duḥkhitau tathā
ধৃতরাষ্ট্র বললেন— “আমার ইচ্ছা, জুয়ার দোষে বিনষ্ট হওয়া সেই সকল পুত্রের উদ্দেশ্যে প্রেত-সংস্কারের উপযুক্ত ধন দান করি। আমরা দুই বৃদ্ধ পিতা-মাতা সন্তানহারা হয়ে শোকে নিমগ্ন—এ কথা জেনে আমি এই দান করতে চাই।”
धृतराष्ट उवाच
Educational Q&A
Even after catastrophic wrongdoing and loss, one should turn toward dharmic repair: acknowledging the cause (ruinous gambling), accepting grief without denial, and performing appropriate duties for the dead through rightful gifts and rites.
In the Āśramavāsika context, Dhṛtarāṣṭra expresses a wish to make offerings/charitable gifts of wealth suitable for the departed, on behalf of the sons lost due to the chain of events set in motion by the disastrous dice-game, while recognizing the sorrow of the two aged parents.